India's COVID-19 disaster spreads to Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh

Crematorium in India dealing with record COVID-19 deaths

Crematorium in India dealing with record COVID-19 deaths

Crematorium in India dealing with record COVID-19 deaths, surge spreads to Nepal, others
Crematorium in India dealing with record COVID-19 deaths, surge spreads to Nepal, others

Agency Report

Nepal is being overwhelmed by a COVID-19 surge as India’s outbreak spreads to South Asian neighbours, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Wednesday.

In India the COVID-19 death toll rose by a record 3,780 during the last 24 hours.

The WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report that India accounted for 46% of global cases and 25% of global deaths reported in the past week.

Daily infections in the country rose by 382,315 on Wednesday, health ministry data showed, the 14th straight day of more than 300,000 cases.

India’s second deadly surge of COVID-19 has seen hospitals runs out of beds and oxygen and left morgues and crematoriums overflowing.

Many people have died in ambulances and car parks waiting for a bed or oxygen.

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The contagious surge is causing a lot of concern in neighbouring Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“We need to act now and we need to act fast to have any hope of containing this human catastrophe. This virus has no respect for borders and these variants are running rampant across Asia,” said Alexander Matheou, Asia Pacific director for the Geneva-based agency representing the global humanitarian network.

Nepal is now recording 57 times as many cases as a month ago, with 44% of tests now coming back positive, the statement said. Nepalese towns near the Indian border could not cope with the growing number of people needing treatment, while only 1% of the country’s population was fully vaccinated.

“What is happening in India right now is a horrifying preview of Nepal’s future if we cannot contain this latest COVID surge that is claiming more lives by the minute,” said Netra Prasad Timsina, chair of the Nepal Red Cross.

“It is beyond distressing to see that people cannot say goodbye to their loved ones as cremations are taking place at record levels due to these new COVID variants, which are striking down people of all ages in Nepal.”

The statement noted that other neighbours of India were also in the firing line as the outbreak spreads.

Hospital intensive care units in Pakistan and Bangladesh were full or close to capacity, it said.

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