The Centre has directed all manufacturers to provide liquid oxygen only for medical purposes and said 551 oxygen generation plants will be set up, as India saw a record 3,52,991 new coronavirus infections and 2,812 fatalities on Monday. This comes amid a crippling shortage of medical amenities in the high-caseload States including Delhi where the lockdown was extended till May 3.
The United States, which came under fierce criticism for being slow in coming to the aid of its natural ally, finally stepped up on Monday. U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris assured India and its people of providing all assistance, including urgently sending necessary medical life-saving supplies and equipment, to help the country combat the deadly coronavirus crisis.
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Here are the latest updates:
India logs record 3,52,991 new cases, 2,812 fatalities
With 3,52,991 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, the highest so far, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases has climbed to 1,73,13,163 while active cases have crossed the 28-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
The death toll increased to 1,95,123 with a record 2,812 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 a.m showed.
Registering a steady increase, the active cases have increased to 28,13,658 comprising 16.25% of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further dropped to 82.62%.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,43,04,382. The case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.13%, the data stated. - PTI
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Relatives brave long queues to refill oxygen in Lucknow
It was after standing in a queue for almost eight hours through the day that Prashant Trivedi, an associate professor of Sociology, managed to refill an oxygen cylinder at a gas agency in Bakshi ka Talab on the outskirts of the Uttar Pradesh capital. Mr. Trivedi was appalled by the big crowd gathered at the refilling station with little regard for physical distancing. He fears that refilling stations, where kin of patients are turning up in large numbers and standing in queues for several hours, could serve as hotspots in further spreading COVID-19.
“These are people who have family members who are positive, admitted in hospitals or in isolation. I myself wondered if I was taking a risk by going there to get a cylinder refilled for my mother,” said Mr. Trivedi.