Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to declare the Covid-19 pandemic as a “natural disaster”. He has asked the PM to give economic relief to those most affected. This request is a recognition of the fact that the nation continues to reel under the Coronavirus onslaught which is at its worse as health systems, especially in the worst affected states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh
India reported 3,79,257 new infections and 3,645 new deaths on Thursday, this is stated to be the highest number of fatalities in a single day since the start of the pandemic. However, it has also been reported that the actual numbers of Covid-19 infections, and deaths may be much higher than the official tally, as there is a mismatch in what the ground reality is and what the official tallies state.
The official number of Covid-19 infections in India is over 1,83,76,524, and the total death toll stands at 2,04,832. There are over 30 lakh active cases in the country at the moment. According to reports it is the eighth consecutive day when India has recorded over 3 lakh cases.
India’s Covid graph could peak at 33-35 lakh
Some days ago, scientists from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) had used a mathematical model to predict that India’s Covid graph could peak at 33-35 lakh active cases by mid-May and decline thereafter. But the same scientists have now revised their predictions upwards. Now, these scientists from IIT Hyderabad and Kanpur say that the peak numbers could range from 38-48 lakhs between May 14 and 18. They also say that the daily infections could go as high as 4.4 fresh cases between May 4 and 8. Given how, we are already recording over 3.5 lakh new cases every day, the number doesn’t seem that far off.
Delhi recorded 395 dead officially
Delhi, one of the worst hit Covid-19 hot spots, on Thursday recorded 395 deaths, stated to be the highest since the pandemic began. The national capital reported 24,235 new cases marking a positivity rate of 32.82 per cent, and the cumulative case count is 11,22,286, out of which over 10.08 lakh have recovered, the total Covid-19 death toll stands at 15,772.
The city also continues to literally gasp for lifesaving Oxygen for its Covid-19 affected citizens. Raising the issue of an ongoing shortfall, Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha has said that except Delhi, Centre allocated oxygen to each state as demanded. According to Chadha Delhi “did not get even 50% of what it demanded”.
Status of Oxygen Allocation and Supply (in Tonnes)
Sl. No. | State | Demand | Allocation |
1. | Uttar Pradesh | 800 | 753 |
2. | Punjab | 126 | 136 |
3. | Tamil Nadu | 200 | 220 |
4. | Kerala | 89 | 99 |
5. | Chhattisgarh | 215 | 227 |
6. | Rajasthan | 205 | 205 |
7. | Telangana | 360 | 360 |
8. | Andhra Pradesh | 440 | 440 |
9. | Uttarakhand | 103 | 103 |
10. | J&K | 12 | 12 |
11. | Goa | 11 | 11 |
12. | Himachal Pradesh | 15 | 15 |
13. | Gujarat | 1000 | 975 |
14. | Karnataka | 300 | 300 |
15. | Madhya Pradesh | 445 | 543 |
16. | Haryana | 180 | 162 |
17. | Maharashtra | 1500 | 1661 |
Raghav Chadha said that even as per the Centre Govt’s own formula the appropriate amount of oxygen required for hospitals in Delhi is 976 metric tonne. However, “Delhi has been allocated only 490 metric tonne oxygen, and the actual quantity received is even lesser at 400 metric tonne.”
Apply intensive local containment measures says Centre
On Thursday, the Centre directed the states and Union territories to go for “intensive local containment measures” in the districts that have a high number of Covid-19 cases to curb the spread of the viral disease. The fresh guidelines issued May, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), however, did not mention the imposition of a lockdown. The Centre asked the states and UTs to implement the necessary containment measures, under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005. The MoHFW, in their advisory dated 25.4.2021, had asked the states and UTs to identify districts where either the tests positivity had been more than 10 percent or more in the last one week; or, where bed occupancy was more than 60 percent; districts fulfilling any of the above two criteria should be considered for taking intensive and local containment measures. The MHA order shall be effective till 31.5.2021.
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