India has recorded its highest daily death toll since the start of the pandemic.
Over 3700 people have died in the past 24 hours with daily infections rising by almost 400 thousand.
India is the second country to reach this grim milestone… after the united states.
This crisis has seen Indian hospitals run out of beds and oxygen, and left morgues and crematoriums overflowing.
India’s government says there are enough oxygen supplies, but says distribution has been hindered by transport problems.
Two “oxygen express” trains reached the capital Delhi on Wednesday carrying desperately needed liquid oxygen, Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal said on Twitter.
One more #OxygenExpress has started its life-saving journey from Hapa to Delhi, to provide Oxygen for COVID-19 patients in our capital city. pic.twitter.com/We1XmXasnX
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 5, 2021
Over 25 trains have so far delivered oxygen to different parts of India.
Compliments to RBI Governor @DasShaktikanta for confidence building measures through special liquidity facility of Rs. 50,000 Cr for boosting medical services and supporting capital needs of individuals & MSMEs needing restructuring.
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 5, 2021
On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been criticised for not handling the crisis sooner.
“We need a government. Desperately. And we don’t have one. We are running out of air. We are dying,” wrote Indian author Arundhati Roy in an opinion piece published on Tuesday calling for Mr Modi to step down.
Some of the Prime Minister’s supporters are lashing out.
