India Surpasses 310,000 Daily COVID-19 Cases... Sets World Record

Local Governments' Arbitrary Lockdown Measures Disrupt Medical Supplies Transport
Oxygen Shortage Causes Multiple Deaths...22 Critical Patients Die Simultaneously

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] India has shattered the world record for the highest number of daily COVID-19 cases, surpassing 310,000, due to the rapid spread of a double mutant virus. Amid the chaos caused by local governments imposing lockdowns arbitrarily despite central government control, disruptions in the transportation of already scarce medical supplies have led to a surge in deaths. Some hospitals have fallen into a state of pandemonium, with 22 critically ill patients dying simultaneously due to a shortage of medical oxygen.

According to local media such as The Times of India on the 22nd, the Indian Ministry of Health announced that the number of new COVID-19 cases reached 314,835, surpassing the previous highest daily case count of 307,581 in the United States. India's cumulative confirmed cases have risen to 15,930,965, ranking second in the world after the United States (32,602,951). The number of new deaths on the day also hit a record high of 2,104.

As fear among local residents grew, local governments violated central government control and issued lockdown measures arbitrarily, causing disruptions in the transportation of medical supplies and triggering a supply crisis of already scarce medical resources. In particular, due to a shortage of medical oxygen, 22 critically ill patients died simultaneously at a hospital in the western state of Maharashtra. According to the BBC, on the 20th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in a national address that "lockdowns are a last resort," but it is reported that the central government has already lost control.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The Indian Ministry of Health warned that ICU beds in the capital New Delhi are over 99% occupied, and the situation is worsening as shortages of medical oxygen and vaccines intensify. The outbreak of the more contagious double mutant virus is estimated to have pushed daily cases far beyond the previous maximum level of 100,000.

Earlier, in September last year, daily cases hovered around 90,000 to 100,000, but by February this year, the number had dropped below 10,000, creating an atmosphere of celebrating the success of quarantine measures. As a result, over 10 million people gathered without masks at Hindu festivals held along the Ganges River from January, which subsequently intensified nationwide spread.

Moreover, frequent rallies and election campaigns across the country during the ongoing local elections, which started on the 27th of last month and have lasted over a month, are believed to have caused the rapid resurgence of COVID-19. Prime Minister Modi has also faced criticism for delivering public speeches without wearing a mask.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.