Photo: Anindito Mukherjee/Getty
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India Experiences a COVID Crisis
Health workers and relatives wearing personal protection equipment move the body of a COVID-19 fatality at a mortuary in New Delhi, India, on April 21, 2021.Amarjeet Kumar Singh/Anadolu Agency via Getty
Indiaset a global daily recordfor confirmed COVID cases and deaths Sunday for the fourth straight day, according toThe New York Times.
02of 11Patients Dying in the StreetsSumit Sanyal/Anadolu Agency via GettyHospitals, graveyards and crematoriums have become overwhelmed with new cases and deaths.As life-saving oxygen is in short supply, some patients have died in the streets, while searching for a hospital that can take them.
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Patients Dying in the Streets
Sumit Sanyal/Anadolu Agency via Getty
Hospitals, graveyards and crematoriums have become overwhelmed with new cases and deaths.
As life-saving oxygen is in short supply, some patients have died in the streets, while searching for a hospital that can take them.
03of 11Crematoriums Are OverwhelmedIndia coronavirus.PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via GettMeanwhile, crematoriums have had toincrease their funeral pyres, lighting up the night sky. In the city of Bhopal, some have had to increase their capacity from 12 pyres to 50, according toThe Washington Post.
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Crematoriums Are Overwhelmed
India coronavirus.PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Gett
Meanwhile, crematoriums have had toincrease their funeral pyres, lighting up the night sky. In the city of Bhopal, some have had to increase their capacity from 12 pyres to 50, according toThe Washington Post.
04of 11Families Perform Rushed Last RitesAnindito Mukherjee/GettyMany families have had toperform last ritesfor loved ones over their pyres, as the overwhelming influx at crematoriums has not left time for sacred Hindu ceremonies.“The virus is swallowing our city’s people like a monster,” Mamtesh Sharma, an official at Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat crematorium toldThe Washington Post. “We are just burning bodies as they arrive. It is as if we are in the middle of a war.”
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Families Perform Rushed Last Rites
Anindito Mukherjee/Getty
Many families have had toperform last ritesfor loved ones over their pyres, as the overwhelming influx at crematoriums has not left time for sacred Hindu ceremonies.
“The virus is swallowing our city’s people like a monster,” Mamtesh Sharma, an official at Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat crematorium toldThe Washington Post. “We are just burning bodies as they arrive. It is as if we are in the middle of a war.”
05of 11Citizens Blame the GovernmentAnindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg via GettyCitizens are holding the government accountable for reopening the country prematurely, following a dramatic decline in case numbers during the winter.Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared “victory” over COVID-19 in January. The government has since been accused of releasing false numbers and information about the growing death rate.Experts say the actual number of COVID casescould be 30 times higherthan what’s been reported, according to CNN.
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Citizens Blame the Government
Anindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg via Getty
Citizens are holding the government accountable for reopening the country prematurely, following a dramatic decline in case numbers during the winter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared “victory” over COVID-19 in January. The government has since been accused of releasing false numbers and information about the growing death rate.
Experts say the actual number of COVID casescould be 30 times higherthan what’s been reported, according to CNN.
06of 11Government Censors Critical TweetsAmarjeet Kumar Singh/Anadolu Agency via GettyAt least 52 tweets calling out Prime Minister Modihave been censoredin India, according to the Lumen Database.“India will never forgive PM @narendramodi for underplaying the corona situation in the country and letting so many people die due to mismanagement,“wrote opposition party leaderMoloy Ghatak.India cited its Information Technology Act of 2000, whichallows censorshipin order to protect public order and the “sovereignty and integrity of India,” according to Reuters.
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Government Censors Critical Tweets
Amarjeet Kumar Singh/Anadolu Agency via Getty
At least 52 tweets calling out Prime Minister Modihave been censoredin India, according to the Lumen Database.
“India will never forgive PM @narendramodi for underplaying the corona situation in the country and letting so many people die due to mismanagement,“wrote opposition party leaderMoloy Ghatak.
India cited its Information Technology Act of 2000, whichallows censorshipin order to protect public order and the “sovereignty and integrity of India,” according to Reuters.
07of 11India Rolls Out Ambitious Vaccination DriveIndian patients use oxygen cylinders in hospital after a leakage in the oxygen plant killed 22 COVID-19 patients in Nashik, India, on April 21, 2021.Vinod Singh/Anadolu Agency via GettyIndia rolled out one of the world’s largest and most ambitious vaccination drives in January.The country hasadministered an averageof 2.6 million vaccinations a day, according to the Bloomberg Vaccination Tracker. At that rate, it would take two years for the country to vaccinate 75% of the population, or 1.38 billion people.
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India Rolls Out Ambitious Vaccination Drive
Indian patients use oxygen cylinders in hospital after a leakage in the oxygen plant killed 22 COVID-19 patients in Nashik, India, on April 21, 2021.Vinod Singh/Anadolu Agency via Getty
India rolled out one of the world’s largest and most ambitious vaccination drives in January.
The country hasadministered an averageof 2.6 million vaccinations a day, according to the Bloomberg Vaccination Tracker. At that rate, it would take two years for the country to vaccinate 75% of the population, or 1.38 billion people.
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India coronavirus.MAUDE BRULARD/AFP via Getty
President Joe Biden announced Sunday that the United States will join several European countries in sending Aid to India. The U.S. will provide financial assistance and raw materials for vaccines.
“Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need,” President Bidenwrote Sundayon Twitter.
09of 11U.S. Criticized for Slow ResponseDhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via GettyBefore their COVID surge, India was vaccinating citizens at a faster rate than the U.S. They subsequently donated vaccines to the U.S. and other countries.Some experts arecriticizing President Biden’s slow responseto India’s current crisis, according to Yahoo Finance. “There is a humanitarian reason to do this, as well as self-interest, to prevent new variants from arriving,” said Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore health commissioner.
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U.S. Criticized for Slow Response
Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via Getty
Before their COVID surge, India was vaccinating citizens at a faster rate than the U.S. They subsequently donated vaccines to the U.S. and other countries.
Some experts arecriticizing President Biden’s slow responseto India’s current crisis, according to Yahoo Finance. “There is a humanitarian reason to do this, as well as self-interest, to prevent new variants from arriving,” said Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore health commissioner.
10of 11France, Germany and the U.K. Also Pledge AidIndia coronavirus.Prabhat Kumar Verma/Pacific Press/ShutterstockThe U.S. joins France, Germany, and the U.K., who have also pledged aid to India.Francehas promised to supplyIndia “with significant support in terms of oxygen,” President Emmanuel Macron’s office told Agence France-Presse.Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that Germany is"urgently preparing a mission of support,“according to a tweet from her chief spokesman.Meanwhile, the U.K. isshipping nine airline containersof supplies, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement that they “will continue to work closely with the Indian government during this difficult time.”
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France, Germany and the U.K. Also Pledge Aid
India coronavirus.Prabhat Kumar Verma/Pacific Press/Shutterstock
The U.S. joins France, Germany, and the U.K., who have also pledged aid to India.
Francehas promised to supplyIndia “with significant support in terms of oxygen,” President Emmanuel Macron’s office told Agence France-Presse.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that Germany is"urgently preparing a mission of support,“according to a tweet from her chief spokesman.
Meanwhile, the U.K. isshipping nine airline containersof supplies, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement that they “will continue to work closely with the Indian government during this difficult time.”
11of 11Rival Country Pakistan Joins the SupportARUN SANKAR/AFP via GettyNeighboring country Pakistan has even offered their support, following generations of conflict with India.“Humanitarian issues require responses beyond political consideration,” said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has offered ventilators, oxygen supply kits, digital X-ray machines, PPE and other life-saving supplies.
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Rival Country Pakistan Joins the Support
ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty
Neighboring country Pakistan has even offered their support, following generations of conflict with India.
“Humanitarian issues require responses beyond political consideration,” said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has offered ventilators, oxygen supply kits, digital X-ray machines, PPE and other life-saving supplies.
source: people.com
