Covid: India sees world’s highest daily cases amid oxygen shortage
...UK, Australia place country on red list
India has recorded the highest one-day tally of new Covid-19 cases anywhere in the world – and the country’s highest number of deaths over 24 hours.
It has close to 16 million confirmed cases, second only to the US.
The country is in the grip of a second wave, raising more fears about its overwhelmed health care system.
Crowds have formed outside hospitals in major cities which are filled to capacity. A number of people have died while waiting for oxygen.
Meanwhile, some countries are bringing in stricter rules affecting travel to and from India amid fears over the rising cases.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the number of flights between the two countries would be cut, while the UK has added India to a red list, restricting travel and bringing in hotel quarantine for all arrivals from India from Friday morning.
India is struggling to cope with the soaring numbers – it recorded some 314,835 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, while deaths rose by 2,104.
Oxygen supply has been a particular problem, with a number of hospitals in the capital Delhi running out entirely on Thursday, according to the city’s Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia.
