Indian states impose stricter lockdowns as COVID deaths hit record high (updated)
08/05/2021 06:13
(Adds detail, rewrites throughout)
By Sudarshan Varadhan and Tanvi Mehta
CHENNAI, May 8 (Reuters) - India on Saturday reported its
highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll, as cases continued
to rise and states imposed stricter lockdowns.
India's health ministry reported 4,187 fatalities over the
past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to just under
240,000. Cases rose by 401,078, increasing the total since the
start of the pandemic to 21.9 million.
Medical experts say the real numbers of COVID-19 cases and
fatalities are likely to be far higher than official tallies.
Tamil Nadu, known for its automobile manufacturing including
BMW BMWG.DE , Daimler DAIGn.DE , Hyundai 005380.KS , Ford
F.N , Nissan 7201.T and Renault RENA.PA , said it would move
from a partial to a full lockdown on Monday, stopping public
transport and shutting state-run alcohol retailers.
Neighbouring Karnataka state extended a total shutdown late
on Friday. The state capital Bengaluru is a major tech hub, home
to major offices of companies including Google GOOGL.O , Amazon
AMZN.O and Cisco CSCO.O .
India is yet to impose a national lockdown as it did during
its first wave last year, but around half of all its states have
imposed a total shutdown. The rest are under a partial shutdown.
Though it is the world's biggest vaccine maker, India is
struggling to produce and distribute enough doses to stem the
wave of COVID-19.
Although the country has administered over 167 million
vaccine doses, its rate of inoculation has fallen sharply in
recent days and only around 2% of its 1.4 billion people have
received the two doses needed to be fully immunised.
A CRISIS IN THE SOUTH
While cases in the country's northern and western areas have
borne the brunt of the pandemic, southern states including
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have seen infections surge.
The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India has
brought the healthcare system to the brink of collapse, with
patients dying due to lack of oxygen or access to hospital beds.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been criticised for his
handling of the oxygen shortage, though the government says it
is doing all it can.
Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin said in a letter to
Modi late on Friday Tamil Nadu's medical oxygen demand could
double in the next two weeks.
"The availability of oxygen in Tamil Nadu is very very
critical," Stalin said, adding that 13 patients died in a
hospital on the outskirts of Chennai due to the lack of oxygen.
(Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan in Chennai and Tanvi Mehta in
New Delhi; editing by Alasdair Pal and Jane Wardell)
((tanvi.mehta@thomsonreuters.com; +91 80 61822707; Reuters
Messaging: tanvi.mehta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))