Page 5 - The Indian EYE 041621

BIG STORY APRIL 16, 2021 | The Indian Eye 5

>> Continued from previous page... as the cases go out of control.
run out of beds. Congress President Sonia
He said there is a need to Gandhi on Saturday slammed
keep increasing hospital beds the Centre over its manage-
and resources for the increas- ment of COVID-19, saying that
ing number of cases. “We also the second wave of the pandem-
have to urgently bring down the ic has hit the country with fury
number of COVID-19 cases,” and “we have been caught off
he said. Dr Guleria called for a guard again” despite a year to
“multipronged attack” to con- prepare. In the meeting of the
tain the virus. “There is a need Congress Working Committee
to go back to all the strategies (CWC), she said the govern-
that we were following six-sev- ment must also reconsider its
en months ago to decrease the priority for vaccine candidates
number of cases,” he said. by reducing the immunization
He noted that there has been age to 25 years and above as also
a huge increase in the number all younger persons with at-risk
of cases in a very few days “rath- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an election rally, health disorders like asthma,
er than weeks or months that in Asansol on Saturday. (ANI Photo) angina, diabetes, kidney and
we had seen last time”. Asked liver diseases and other similar
about some people testing pos- lakh new cases and more than ed policy will be implemented ailments.
itive for COVID-19 even after 1,300 deaths in 24 hours, which in three colours- red, green and She appealed to party work-
taking the vaccine, he said vac- was also the highest number of yellow. A red sticker will be used ers to work for people in the
cine prevents a person from get- daily new cases reported in the for vehicles belonging to doc- hour of crisis.
ting the more severe disease but world. India contributed 22.8 tors, medical staff, and trans- “Families are being torn
it does not prevent you from the per cent of the total cases re- portation of essential medical apart, lives and livelihoods have
infection totally. ported worldwide on April 12. supplies; Green for vehicles car- been lost and entire life sav-
“We have to remember that According to the Union rying consumable items (fruits, ings depleted on healthcare.
no vaccine is 100 per cent effi- Health Ministry, in the last 24 vegetables, dairy products etc) It is deeply concerning to read
cient. You may get the infection hours, 1,341 COVID-related and Yellow for essential services news reports of acute shortages
but the antibodies in our body deaths were reported in the including the movement of offi- of medical equipment and hos-
will not allow the virus to mul- country taking the death toll to cials from the government, tele- pital beds. Reports from across
tiply and you’ll not have severe 1,75,649. As many as 2,34,692 phone department, electricity the country speak of the scarcity
disease,” he said. Answering a new COVID-19 cases have department and the media. of COVID-19 vaccine as also of
query, he said this a time when a been reported in India in the Earlier on Tuesday, Chief important life-saving drugs in-
lot of religious activities happen same period. With this, the total Minister Uddhav Thackeray cluding Remdesivir in different
in the country and polls are also number of cases has gone up to announced a series of ‘strict re- parts of the country,” she added.
underway. 1,45,26,609. The active number strictions’ in the state till May She referred to her letter to
Dr Guleria said there was no of cases stands at 16,79,740. 1 including the imposition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
specific answer to how long the Over the last couple of Section 144 from Wednesday in after meeting with party chief
second wave of COVID-19 will weeks, several states have view of rising COVID-19 cases. ministers on the COVID-19
continue in India and it depends flagged a shortage of hospi- He, however, refrained from situation. Gandhi said the chief
on how quickly and efficiently tal beds, oxygen supply and calling it a ‘lockdown’. ministers have spoken to the
the spread of virus is contained. COVID-19 vaccines Under the new guidelines, Prime Minister and written to
Amid the record surge in The cumulative number of all establishments, public plac- the concerned minister from
COVID-19 cases across the COVID-19 vaccine doses ad- es, activities will remain closed time to time pleading for relief.
country, Prime Minister Nar- ministered in the country stands in the state. Only essential ser- “Some of them were left with
endra Modi on Saturday held a at 11,99,37,641 till today. vices will be exempted, and their only a few days of vaccine, no
meeting to review the corona- Mumbai is one of the worst operations to be unrestricted. oxygen or ventilators. But there
virus and vaccination situation. affected cities in the country. Maharashtra remains one has been thundering silence on
Top officers across various min- In order to limit vehicular of the worst affected states hit the part of the government,”
istries participate in the meeting traffic on Mumbai roads and to by the pandemic. The state re- she said. She alleged that some
that started at 8 pm today. The allow vehicles related to essen- ported 67,123 new cases and other states have received “pref-
meeting is currently underway. tial services with more ease, the 419 deaths on Friday, taking the erential treatment and relief”.
The country is currently wit- Mumbai Police has decided to total active cases in the state to “Instead of listening to con-
nessing a second and more se- implement a colour code in the 6,47,933, as per the state health structive suggestions, Union
vere wave of the pandemic. city amid COVID-19 restric- department. Ministers were pressed into ser-
According to the Ministry tions. Out of the total active cases, vice to attack the opposition.
of Health and Family Welfare, In a self-made video, 87,369 are in Mumbai, includ- This convoluted “me versus
India recorded the highest-ever Hemant Nagrale, Mumbai Po- ing 8,834 in the last 24 hours. you” debate is childish and to-
single-day spike of COVID-19 lice Commissioner informed The Opposition is now at- tally unnecessary,” she said
cases on Saturday with over 2.34 that a self-sticking colour-cod- tacking the Modi government Continued on next page... >>

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