India on Thursday reported a global record of more than 314,000 new infections as a grim virus surge in the world’s second-most populous country sends more and more sick people into a fragile health care system critically short of hospital beds and oxygen.
The 314,000 fresh infections added in the past 24 hours has raised India’s total number of casese past 15.9 million since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, the number of fatalities rose by 2,104 in the past 24 hours, raising the country’s overall death toll to 184,657, the Health Ministry said.
A large number of hospitals have reported acute shortages of beds, oxygen and medicines.
The New Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered the government to divert oxygen from industrial use to hospitals to save people’s lives.
“Beg, borrow or steal, it is a national emergency,” the judges said responding to a petition by a New Delhi hospital seeking its intervention to tackle the current situation.
The government has stepped up efforts as it is rushing oxygen tankers to replenish supplies to hospitals.
The Health Ministry said that the country produces 7,500 metric tonnes of oxygen per day. Where 6,600 metric tonnes are being allocated for medical use.
It also said that 75 railway coaches in the Indian capital have been turned into hospitals providing an additional 1,200 beds for COVID-19 patients.
The Times of India newspaper says that the previous highest daily case count of 307,581 was reported in the U.S. on Jan. 8.
