May 4 2021 India has added more than 360,000 new confirmed cases, adding more than 300,000 cases in a single day for 12 consecutive days, with a cumulative number of confirmed cases approaching 20 million, Singapore’s Union Morning Post reported Thursday. According to the latest model, the outbreak in India is likely to peak in recent days, earlier than previously predicted.
India’s Ministry of Health announced Wednesday that in the past 24 hours, 368,147 new confirmed cases have been reported across India, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases to 1993 million;
Experts believe the actual number of cases in India could be several times higher, or even dozens, than official statistics. However, the rate of positive tests for the new coronavirus fell for the first time since April 15.
Models conducted by a team of scientists advising the Indian government suggest that Coronavirus cases in India are likely to peak from May 3 to 5, earlier than predicted earlier this month, due to faster-than-expected transmission of the virus.
At least 11 indian states and territories have imposed strict restrictions such as city closures and curfews to curb the spread of the virus. Some experts have also suggested that the Indian government again blockade the country.
Bhramar Mukherjee, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, wrote: “I believe that the current medical needs can only be addressed if a national home order is issued and a medical emergency is declared.” In addition to the new confirmed cases every day, active cases are also on the rise. There are about 3.5 million officially reported active cases alone. ”
The Confederation of Indian Industry has also called on the government to take the toughest national measures, including curbing economic activity, to block Coronavirus chain of transmission.
However, Indian Prime Minister Narenot Modi is reluctant to impose a national blockade again for fear of affecting the economy. His government is now exploring more measures to alleviate the country’s severe shortage of medical oxygen.
Modi’s office said in a statement that the government’s new measures include the establishment of a temporary Coronavirus care center near the oxygen plant, plans to set up 10,000 beds with oxygen supply facilities, the establishment of about 1,500 oxygen plants across the country, and the transformation of existing nitrogen plants into oxygen plants.
Pfizer Inc., on the other hand, announced Monday that it is donating more than $70 million worth of drugs to India. Pfizer’s president, Michael Abel, said the company was also in talks with the Indian government to get india to start using the Pfizer vaccine “through a quick approval process.”
So far, about 9 percent of India’s 1.4 billion people have been vaccinated against at least one dose of Coronavirus vaccine.
