World

Hospitals overwhelmed as deaths pass 200,000

April 29, 2021 7:33 am

India has reached the devastating figure of 200,000 coronavirus deaths.

The pressure on many hospitals showing no sign of abating amid a sweeping second wave.

The real number of fatalities is thought to be far greater, with many not being officially recorded.

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Oxygen supplies remain critically low across the country, with the black market the only option for many people.

Crematoriums are operating non-stop, with makeshift pyres in car parks.

There have been at least 300,000 new infections every day in the past week, with more than 360,000 new cases in the past 24 hours on Wednesday. Overall, more than 17.9 million cases have been registered.

Foreign aid has started to arrive from the UK and Singapore. Russia, New Zealand and France have pledged to send emergency medical equipment, and even regional rivals Pakistan and China have put aside their differences and promised to help.