A day after declaring the COVID-19 variant first detected in India as one of global concern, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Wednesday (May 12) that the variant has spread to 49 countries.
The U.N. health agency’s new concern about the B.1.617 variant comes as India recorded 4,205 COVID-19 deaths, a new one-day record that pushed the South Asian nation’s overall death toll from the pandemic past the 250,000 mark. India’s total number of confirmed COVID-19 infections is now above 23 million after the Health Ministry reported 348,421 new cases on Wednesday.
A surge of new infections in the world’s second most-populous country has created a humanitarian disaster there, with hospitals filled to capacity and an acute shortage of oxygen to treat the sick, with scores of makeshift crematories rushing to burn the dead. Experts believe the actual casualty figures are much higher than the official figures.
The situation took an unsettling turn this week after more than 100 bodies were found floating in the Ganges River.
Images of bodies floating in the river sparked anger and speculation they died from COVID-19. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of death of the bodies, but some medical experts have voiced concern that the coronavirus can be spread through contaminated water.
The situation in India is one reason the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) says coronavirus cases have “exploded” across Asia in the past two weeks.
The global relief agency said Wednesday the region saw 5.9 million new infections during that period — more than in the Americas, Europe and Africa combined. Seven out of 10 countries that are doubling their infection numbers the fastest are in Asia and the Pacific.
Alexander Matheou, the IFRC’s Asia Pacific director, called for “greater global cooperation” in providing “lifesaving resources, medical equipment, vaccines, and money” where they are needed to help people most at risk.
“We’re only safe when everyone is safe,” Matheou said. (VOA)
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