India recorded its highest single-day spike ever with 332,730 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. This was the second day in a row that India crossed the 3-lakh mark. The country’s overnight infection total was higher than numbers recorded anywhere in the world since the pandemic began in 2020.
The situation continues to look bleak as a study by the University of Washington has warned that daily Covid-19 deaths in India could peak at over 5,000 by mid-May this year. The study, titled ‘COVID-19 projections’, was conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the university and published on 15 April. For the purpose of this study, IHME experts assessed the current rate of infections and deaths in India and predicted that India’s daily tally of Covid deaths will rise to 5,600 on 10 May 2021. With an additional 329,000 deaths projected between 12 April and 1 August, the death toll could go up to 665,000 by the end of July, according to the researchers’ estimates.
However, the study has also projected that universal mask coverage by the end of the third week of April can bring down fatalities by 70,000. It also showed optimism about the nationwide vaccination drive, projecting that around 85,600 lives would be saved due to the vaccine rollout. The total number of vaccine doses administered in the country stands presently at 13,54,78,420.
For now, the situation continues to be grim as people scramble for beds, life-saving oxygen supplies and drugs in hospitals across India on Friday. Visuals of patients dying outside hospitals and mass cremations also indicate the ferocity of the second wave of Covid-19 in India.
At Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Delhi, critical Covid patients gasping for air were seen arriving in ambulances and auto rickshaws on Friday. A man among those waiting for hours on trolleys outside died before being admitted. “The staff are doing their best but there is not enough oxygen. If you are not in a serious condition please don’t come. It isn’t safe,” Tushar Maurya, son of a Covid patient at the hospital, told Reuters.
On Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went on live television to plead for medical oxygen supplies in a virtual meeting with Modi, warning that many people would die. “All of the country’s oxygen plants should immediately be taken over by the government through the Army,” he said.
PM Modi has said that the government is making a “continuous effort” to increase oxygen supplies, including steps to divert industrial oxygen.
The cumulative count of Covid cases in India now stands at 1,62,63,695. According to the official data issued by the Union Health Ministry, the country recorded 2,263 new deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to at least 1,86,920. There are 24,28,616 active Covid-19 cases in the country now.
Maharashtra reported 773 deaths—the highest ever in a day—and 66,836 new cases of Covid-19. Out of the new numbers, Mumbai accounted for 7,221 new cases and 72 fatalities and Pune district for 9,810 cases and 137 fatalities. Active cases in the state, which is one of the worst-hit by Covid in India, are 6,91,851, while the total cases rose to 41,61,676. The death toll increased to 63,252, while total recoveries stood at 34,04,792.
Delhi reported 24,331 new cases, 348 deaths and 23,572 recoveries on Friday. The total cases in the national capital stand at 980,679, with 92,029 active cases, 13,541 total deaths and 875,109 total recoveries.
Chhattisgarh reported 17,397 new cases, 219 deaths and 14,284 recoveries on the same day. Active cases in the state stand at 123,479, while the total cases so far are 622,965. The death toll stands at 6,893 and total recoveries at 492,593.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said that 28,447 positive Covid cases, 5,663 recoveries and 27 deaths were reported in Kerala during the day. As many as 130,617 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. There are 178,983 active cases and 11,66,135 people have recovered so far in the state, he informed. “The next two days (Saturday and Sunday) will see restrictions similar to lockdown. Only essential services and emergency travel to be allowed. There is a cap of 75 people indoor & 150 outdoor for marriages and a maximum of 50 people for funeral services,” he stated.
Karnataka recorded 26,962 new cases and 190 fatalities. The state’s case tally is at 12,74,959 and active cases at 2,14,311.
Tamil Nadu reported 13,776 new cases, 8078 recoveries and 78 deaths.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh reported 11,766 new Covid-19 cases, 4,441 recoveries, and 38 deaths on Friday. The Andhra Pradesh government also decided to impose night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am.
West Bengal, in the middle of its Assembly polls, reported 12,876 new Covid-19 cases, 59 deaths and 6,878 discharges. The total cases in the state are now 713,780, with 74,737 of them still active.
Rajasthan reported 15,398 fresh Covid-19 cases, 5,197 recoveries, and 64 deaths.