Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Monday said no one, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) was able to predict that the second wave of COVID would affect the country so much. He added that the nation will also get over the second wave very soon. Reddy visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Bibinagar in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana on Monday to take stock of COVID treatment.

Briefing the mediapersons, he said, "The central government is taking all the necessary steps to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country. India was able to get over the first wave of COVID and with the cooperation of the people, the nation will also get over the second wave very soon. No one, including the WHO, was able to predict that the second wave of COVID would affect us so much." He mentioned that manufacturing units are running 24x7 to meet the demands of required medicine for the treatment of COVID along with oxygen and vaccine. He also said more oxygen, vaccines and medicines are being imported from other countries.

Reddy further said the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working to bring the vaccine at a very affordable price. He informed that there are about 180 districts across the country where no single case of COVID has been registered in the last seven days.

Reddy said that 1,100 PSA equipment have been issued for the extraction of oxygen from the air and one such equipment has also been issued to AIIMS, Bibi Nagar. He said the hospital will get 200 beds over the next week. "The Telangana government must make sure that there is no shortage of Remdesivir, vaccine and oxygen in the state and all the oxygen and medicine that the state is receiving from the Centre reach every hospital in the state," Reddy added.