One recipient receives a dose of Covid-19 vaccine at HB Kanwatia Hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, on April 11, 2021.
Vishal Bhatnagar | NurPhoto | Getty Images
India has overtaken Brazil as the second worst infected country behind the United States, after data show that Covid-19 cases continued to rise.
The South Asian nation reported more than 168,000 new cases on Monday over a 24-hour period, according to the health ministry. About 83% of new infections have been reported in 10 states, including the western state of Maharashtra, which hosts India’s financial capital Mumbai.
Since the beginning of April, India has reported over 1.37 million cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country since January last year to over 13.5 million; cases began to rise in February after peaking in September.
Although Maharashtra was the hardest hit state in the second wave, cases in other areas – including the populous state of Uttar Pradesh – are on the rise.
The reported daily death rate is also rising as hospitals face pressure on reserves, including the number of available beds. However, compared to other countries, including the US, Covid-related deaths in India are relatively low.
The Minister of Health, Harsh Vardhan, allegedly accused the second wave of infections of people’s lack of commitment to wearing masks and practicing social distance.
But in recent weeks, politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party Bharatiya Janata, as well as other political parties have held rallies in states such as West Bengal, where large crowds have gathered – most without wearing masks. There were also a number of religious gatherings that took place in different parts of the country.
The vaccination program is underway
India’s health ministry says more than 100 million doses of vaccine have been given since the government began an ambitious inoculation program in January. From April 1, everyone is over 45 years old It is eligible for their photos.
Media reports say some states, including Maharashtra, are facing a severe shortage of vaccines. The Indian government, in response, accused those states of diverting attention from their failure to control the virus.