International efforts are underway to help India as the country suffers critical oxygen shortages amid a devastating surge in Covid-19 cases.
A Covid-19 patient leaves a hospital in New Delhi, India on 24 April 2021. Photo: AFP
The UK has begun sending ventilators and oxygen concentrator devices; the EU members are seeking to send oxygen and medicine.
The US said it would provide raw materials for vaccines that had previously been under export controls.
India's capital Delhi has extended its lockdown as overcrowded hospitals continue to turn patients away.
The Indian Government has approved plans for more than 500 oxygen generation plants across the country to boost supplies.
India reported 349,691 more cases in the 24 hours to Sunday morning and another 2767 deaths.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all citizens to be vaccinated and exercise caution.
The Modi government has faced criticism that it let its guard down, allowed big religious and political gatherings to take place when India's cases plummeted to below 10,000 a day and did not plan on building up the healthcare systems.
Hospitals and doctors have put out urgent notices that they were unable to cope with the rush of patients.
Workers at a facility in the southern Indian city of Chennai arrange medical oxygen cylinders to be transported to hospitals on 24 April. Photo: AFP
US to provide vaccine components, medical supplies
The US will immediately provide raw materials for Covid-19 vaccines, medical equipment and protective gear to help India respond to a massive surge in Covid-19 infections, a White House spokeswoman said on Sunday local time.
US National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said the materials would help India manufacture the Covishield vaccine. The US would also send therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits and ventilators.
It was also pursuing options to provide India with oxygen generation and related supplies.
Doctors at Pentamed hospital in Delhi say they are running out of oxygen. dozens of lives hang in the balance here if they run out. #India #oxygen #covid19 #oxygenappeal pic.twitter.com/YlE0Hl0IEk
— Yogita Limaye (@yogital) April 25, 2021
US officials are also considering sending India its unused AstraZeneca vaccine doses, top US infectious disease official Dr Anthony Fauci told ABC News on Sunday.
AstraZeneca's vaccine is not yet approved in the US, which has millions of doses, and top US health officials have said they have enough doses of approved versions by three other drugmakers to inoculate all Americans in coming weeks.
The White House had no comment on the possibility of sending the AstraZeneca vaccine to India.
In addition to the immediate aid, the US Development Finance Corporation will fund a substantial expansion of manufacturing capability for Indian vaccine maker Biological E Ltd, or BioE, enabling the company to produce at least 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of 2022.
UK to ship ventilators
Britain said on Sunday local time it was sending more than 600 medical devices including oxygen concentrators and ventilators to India.
The equipment comes from Britain's surplus stock and the first shipment was due to arrive in New Delhi early on Tuesday, the British foreign ministry said.
EU, France and Germany to send oxygen equipment
France will send oxygen respiratory equipment to India in the coming days, the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.
Earlier on Sunday, the European Commission activated its EU Civil Protection Mechanism and said it was seeking to send oxygen and medicine to India after receiving a request from Delhi.
Germany will send oxygen and medical aid to India in the coming days, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday expressed her "sympathy over the terrible suffering" that the pandemic had brought to India.
"Germany stands in solidarity with India and is urgently preparing a mission of support," Merkel said in a statement.
From Monday onwards, Germans arriving from India will only be allowed to enter the country with a negative test result and will then have to begin a 14-day quarantine. Foreign travellers coming from India will no longer be allowed to enter Germany.
Sights you never thought you’d see. An oxygen tanker with police escorts. More precious than gold. #india #covid19 pic.twitter.com/6hkTiH8iLF
— Yogita Limaye (@yogital) April 25, 2021
- Reuters, BBC
