In a bid to make oxygen available for Covid-19 patients, the Centre has barred the use of liquid oxygen for any non-medical purposes. (Representational Image: PTI)Coronavirus (Covid-19) Cases and Death Toll in India Live Update: India is witnessing an acute shortage of oxygen with the country reporting more than 3 lakh Covid-19 cases daily for the last few days. Several countries have assured support to India to help save lives amid a devastating surge in coronavirus infections. In a move that can offer some immediate relief, the United States has dispatched over five tonnes of oxygen concentrators.
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have also assured immediate supply of necessary medical life-saving equipment. “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 said in a tweet.
In a bid to make oxygen available for Covid-19 patients, the Centre has not only asked manufacturing units to maximise their production but also barred the use of liquid oxygen for any non-medical purposes. It is already running special trains to supply oxygen to worst-hit states.
Meanwhile, experts believe that hoarding of remdesivir injection and oxygen is creating panic and their shortage in the market.
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Highlights
High Court Of Uttarakhand closed till 2nd May in light of increase in the number of #COVID19 cases. Hearing in cases to be done via video conferencing from 3rd May, application for matters of urgent hearing to be submitted to High Court Registrar. (ANI)
To ensure availability of adequate doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has ordered 50 lakhs doses of Covishield and Covaxin each from manufacturing companies. Covishield is manufactured by Serum Institute of India and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech Limited. In a statement issued here on Sunday, the UP government said that in pursuance with the Centre's order, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is planning to take the vaccine across the state in an organised manner. The state government has already offered the vaccine free of cost to everyone over the age of 18 from May 1, it said. (PTI)
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have 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. "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 said in a tweet. The President was spending his weekend at his home in Delaware but is believed to be following up the developments in India. (PTI)
Assam reported 14 more deaths due to COVID-19 on Sunday, while the number of cases rose by 1,844, pushing the tally 2,37,533, the National Health Mission (NHM) said. With eight persons in Kamrup Metropolitan and one each in Barpeta, Dibrugarh, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nalbari and Sonitpur districts losing their lives, the total number of deaths rose to 1,200. The NHM said 1,347 more COVID-19 patients have died till now, but the government's Death Audit Board has not included them in the toll caused by the COVID-19 as they had other ailments too. (PTI)
The Lucknow West BJP MLA's wife died on Sunday two days after the legislator had passed away due to COVID-19 complications, family sources said. Malti Srivastava, wife of BJP MLA from Lucknow West Suresh Srivastava, also passed away due to COVID-19 at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute, the sources said. The couple were admitted to SGPGI and undergoing treatment for COVID-19. Lucknow West MLA Suresh Kumar Srivastava (76) had died of the viral disease in Lucknow on Friday. Srivastava died during treatment at a Lucknow hospital. He was on ventilator support for a few days, a BJP leader said. (PTI)
Noting that hoarding of oxygen and injections like remdesivir is leading to panic and creating their shortage in market, top health experts on Sunday said COVID-19 is a mild infection and that for 85-90 per cent people only symptomatic treatment at home is enough. They also stressed that vaccines and COVID-appropriate behaviour together can break the chain of transmission. On the shortage of oxygen and medicines, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that hoarding of oxygen and injections like remdesivir in homes is creating panic and causing a shortage of these medicines. (PTI)