Indian Air Force plane lifts cryogenic oxygen containers from Air Force Station.
Urging the individuals not to panic over the pandemic scenario, the federal government on Monday stated it was attempting to tackle the issue of transportation of medical oxygen to high-demand areas and roped in retired medical personnel of the armed forces to work in COVID-19 services as every day circumstances hit a brand new peak at 3,52,991 with a file 2,812 extra fatalities.
Karnataka, Delhi, Jharkhand beneath lockdown-like restrictions
With no let-up within the second wave, Karnataka imposed a 14-day shutdown, after Delhi and Jharkhand took the same step final week, whereas lockdown-like restrictions together with night time curfew continued in lots of different states.
Focus on vaccination
Delhi and Karnataka joined a number of others states who’ve introduced free vaccine for all adults from May 1, when the eligibility age for the vaccination can be relaxed to 18 years.
Wear mask even inside houses: Govt
Urging the individuals to get vaccinated and observe COVID-19-appropriate behaviour, the federal government stated it is time they begin carrying masks inside their houses as nicely.
Addressing a press convention, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr VK Paul stated a COVID-positive particular person should put on the mask inside the home as nicely to forestall different relations from getting contaminated.
Enough oxygen inventory within the nation, says Govt
Amid extra disquieting developments associated to the scarcity of oxygen in hospitals in excessive caseload states together with the demise of 5 sufferers in Haryana, the federal government asserted that there’s ample inventory of the life-saving gasoline.
“We have enough stock of oxygen. The issue is transportation which we are trying to resolve by the active involvement of all stakeholders,” Additional Secretary within the Ministry of Home Affairs Piyush Goyal stated.
No want to panic, govt tells individuals
“There is absolutely no need to panic for oxygen,” Goel stated, including the central authorities is monitoring the motion of oxygen tankers on a real-time foundation by GPS and making them accessible to hospitals at the shortest attainable time.
In the previous few days, hospitals in Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra and Haryana have reported deaths amid the scarcity of medical oxygen. The Centre has deployed IAF planes and trains to help in transportation of oxygen whereas cryogenic tankers had been being imported from overseas.
ALSO READ | Mumbai might have turned the nook in combat towards Covid: Expert
Women can take vaccine duirng menstruation
The authorities additionally pitched for expediting the tempo of the vaccination drive and asserted that girls can take COVID-19 vaccine throughout menstruation as nicely. It harassed that rational use of medical oxygen and applicable prescription of medication such as Remdesivir, Tocilizumab are crucial within the combat towards the pandemic, amid complaints of their scarcity.
A day after banning using liquid oxygen for non-medical functions, the federal government on Monday allowed three sectors — ampules and vials, pharmaceutical and defence forces — to use the commodity Joint Secretary within the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Lav Agarwal stated many individuals have been discovered to be occupying hospital beds out of panic. Hospital admission ought to solely be on the recommendation of medical doctors, he harassed.
Hoarding of oxygen, remdesivir creating panic, says AIIMS Director
AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria had earlier stated that hoarding of oxygen and injections like remdesivir in houses is creating panic and inflicting a scarcity of those medicines.
Covid-19 a light an infection: Health Ministry
“COVID-19 is a mild infection and 85-90 per cent people will only suffer from cold, fever, sore throat and bodyache. Only symptomatic treatment at home is enough to ride through these infections and there is no need for oxygen or remdesivir,” he was quoted as saying in a Health Ministry assertion.
Active circumstances in India cross 28-lakh mark
India’s complete tally of COVID-19 circumstances has climbed to a staggering 1,73,13,163 whereas lively circumstances have crossed the 28-lakh mark, amid a crippling scarcity of beds, oxygen and different medical facilities.
The demise toll elevated to 1,95,123 with a file 2,812 new fatalities, in accordance to the Union Health Ministry knowledge up to date on Monday morning. The 2,812 new fatalities embrace 832 from Maharashtra, 350 from Delhi and 206 from Uttar Pradesh.
ALSO READ | Punjab broadcasts every day lockdown as Covid circumstances spiral. Check timings
The Supreme Court has additionally superior its summer season trip, which is able to now begin work from May 8, in view of the sudden surge in COVID-19 circumstances.
With an unprecedented strain on healthcare personnel due to the pandemic, the federal government stated all medical personnel of the armed forces who’ve retired or have taken pre-mature retirement within the final two years are being recalled to work in COVID-19 services inside proximity of their current place of residence.
CDS meets PM Modi on Covid scenario
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat knowledgeable Prime Minister Narendra Modi about this resolution as they reviewed preparations and operations being undertaken by the armed forces to take care of the second wave of the pandemic raging throughout the nation.
Other medical officers who retired from the armed forces sooner than two years have additionally been requested to make their providers accessible for session by medical emergency helplines, a press release stated.
Modi reviewed the operations being undertaken by Indian Air Force as nicely to transport empty oxygen tankers and different necessities in India and from overseas. An Indian Air Force plane was on Monday despatched to Dubai to airlift seven empty cryogenic oxygen containers, officers stated.
Earlier, 4 cryogenic tanks for transportation of oxygen had been introduced from Singapore by IAF on Saturday.
“IAF C-17 plane reached Dubai at present to airlift extra empty O2 containers to complement efforts to improve oxygen availability in present COVID-19 surge. Effort is being coordinated by MHA,” a house ministry spokesperson tweeted.
Pitching in, Air India introduced 328 oxygen concentrators to India on its New York-Delhi flight on Monday. The cumulative variety of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered within the nation has crossed 14.19 crore as the world’s largest vaccination drive accomplished 100 days on April 25, the Union Health Ministry stated.
ALSO READ | Reduce vaccine worth: Govt tells Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala account for 58.7 % of the cumulative doses given to this point within the nation, the ministry stated. The ministry additionally stated that these states together with Delhi and Tamil Nadu have reported 74.5 % of the brand new circumstances.
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka amongst states reporting highest every day circumstances
Maharashtra has reported the very best every day new circumstances at 66,191. It is adopted by Uttar Pradesh with 35,311 whereas Karnataka reported 34,804 new circumstances. “Strict measures to control COVID will be taken. From tomorrow night till next 14 days there will be a close down for the whole state,” Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa introduced.
Various hospitals throughout the nation proceed to grapple with a extreme scarcity of medical oxygen on Monday even after receiving emergency provides.
Oxygen scarcity
Five COVID-19 sufferers, together with one from Delhi, died at a personal hospital in Haryana’s Hisar with family members of the deceased holding a protest attributing their demise to an alleged grave scarcity of medical oxygen at the ability.
It occurred inside 24 hours of two related incidents in Haryana, whereby eight individuals died in two personal services in Rewari and Gurgaon allegedly due to scarcity of medical oxygen. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar stated a magisterial probe has been ordered into the incidents. At the identical time, he dominated any scarcity of medical oxygen within the state.
Three COVID-19 sufferers on ventilators with excessive stream oxygen died due to technical points in supplying the life saving gasoline in Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh, officers stated.
Tamil Nadu has determined to permit Vedanta’s Sterlite Industries in Tuticorin to produce oxygen for 4 months amid surging covid circumstances, paving the best way for the partial reopening of the copper smelter closed in 2018 over air pollution considerations.
Vedanta stated it was dedicated to making your complete manufacturing capability of 1,000 tonnes accessible for producing medical-grade oxygen and that it was working to dispatch it to crucial areas within the state on precedence.
Madras High Court lashes out at Election Commission
Also on Monday, the Madras High Court castigated the Election Commission over the COVID-19 second wave within the nation, holding it ‘singularly’ chargeable for the unfold as it known as it the “the most irresponsible institution” and even stated its officers could also be booked beneath homicide expenses.
The EC permitting political events to take out rallies and conferences had led to the unfold of the pandemic, the courtroom stated.
The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy made the stinging statement on a public curiosity litigation. The judges additionally orally warned that they’d not hesitate to cease the counting of votes on May 2. The state had reported 15,000 new circumstances on Sunday, whereas its lively circumstances are a couple of lakh.
Elections have been held in 4 states–Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and West Bengal — and the union territory of Puducherry and the counting of polled votes can be taken up on May 2. The seventh penultimate section of polling in West Bengal was held Monday, with the final section scheduled on April 29.
Meanwhile, extra international locations have supplied help to India to meet the COVID problem. Google CEO Sundar Pichai and his Microsoft counterpart Satya Nadella have additionally assured of assist.
“Devastated to see the worsening Covid crisis in India. Google & Googlers are providing Rs 135 crore in funding to @GiveIndia, @UNICEF for medical supplies, orgs supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information,” Indian-origin Google CEO Pichai stated in a tweet.
US President Joe Biden, VP Kamala Harris guarantee help to India
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have assured India and its individuals of offering all help, together with urgently sending crucial medical life-saving provides and gear, to assist the nation fight the lethal coronavirus disaster. | Read More
“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,” Biden stated in a tweet.
Several Indian-American organisations have launched fundraising campaigns to combat the pandemic in India. Australia stated it will ship oxygen, ventilators and private protecting gear to India as a part of a direct help bundle.
Britain, Germany and the European Union have earlier introduced that they had been sending help to India.
(With inputs from PTI)
ALSO READ | Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine could be a gamechanger in combat towards Covid: All you want to know
