India is in the midst of a devastating second wave of COVID-19 – witnessing an unprecedented spike in the cases and deaths. The country is recording more than a quarter-million cases per day.
While several states have seen a surge in the demand for medical oxygen, a senior government official on Monday informed that the country has enough medical oxygen but its transportation is a challenge. He further added that the Centre and State governments are working together to minimise the time taken in the movement of tankers, reported news agency ANI.
“There is no need to panic. I assure you that at present union government and state governments have enough oxygen. The transportation is a challenge, as the demand for tankers suddenly grew. The Centre and state governments are working together to minimise the time of transportation,” Piyush Goyal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, said at a joint press conference on the Covid-19 situation on Monday.
“India is ordering oxygen tankers from abroad on a purchase or hiring basis. Using real-time tracking, we are monitoring the movement of oxygen tankers,” he added.
The Coronavirus scare has triggered a demand for medical supplies, however, efforts are being from all quarters as the UK government has dispatched ventilators and oxygen concentrator devices to India to help the nation retain its grasp over the Covid-19 pandemic.
The British High Commission in a press statement said that the UK was dispatching “more than 600 pieces of vital medical equipment” to “ support the country in its fight against Covid-19.”
On Saturday, SpiceXpress, the air cargo arm of SpiceJet airlifted 800 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to Delhi amid the nation’s crippling shortage of medical oxygen triggered by the second wave of coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday (April 26), airlifted six empty cryogenic oxygen containers from Dubai and positioned them at Panagarh, West Bengal for refilling.
Furthermore, 2 containers were airlifted from Jaipur to Jamnagar for the same, reported the news agency ANI.
Today, IAF airlifted six empty cryogenic oxygen containers from Dubai and positioned them at Panagarh, West Bengal for refilling. 2 containers were airlifted from Jaipur to Jamnagar for the same: Indian Air Force
(Visual from Jaipur airport) pic.twitter.com/PK6I54qx1b
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2021
India is seeing a surge in Covid-19 cases and reported 3.52 lakh new cases in the last 24 hours. This is the highest single-day spike since the onset of the pandemic.
