US Alerts Citizens to Vacate India Amid Massive Surge in COVID-19 Cases

New Delhi- The US government alerted its citizens about the escalation of the COVID-19 crisis and asked them to vacate the country as soon as possible. 

The government issued a Level 4 health alert advisory- the highest issued by the department of state- which asked its citizens to not travel to India and leave the country as soon as it is safe to do so in view of the escalating COVID-19 pandemic as it has restricted access to medical care. 

"New cases and deaths from COVID-19 have risen sharply throughout India to record levels. COVID-19 testing infrastructure is reportedly constrained in many locations. Hospitals are reporting shortages of supplies, oxygen, and beds for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related patients," announced the US Department of State in the Level 4 health alert advisory. Read more

The department also added by saying that there are fourteen direct flights connecting India and the US other services that connect through Europe. 

There have been acute shortages of essential medical supplies reported from the country such as shortages of hospital beds, supply of medical oxygen, and other life-saving drugs. There have been cries of SOS from needy COVID-19 patients and their friends and family, signaling a serious inefficiency in the administration and management of the pandemic. 

US President Joe Biden had earlier assured to provide assistance to India in its time of need. Taking to Twitter, he said, "Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need." The US then confirmed on Sunday that it will provide India with the necessary raw materials needed to manufacture the Covishield coronavirus vaccine in India. Read more

A statement issued by the White House on Wednesday stated that the US will be sending $100 million worth of supplies which includes 1,000 oxygen cylinders, 15 million N95 masks, and 1 million rapid diagnostic tests. Read more

India yet again smashes its own previous record of the single-day highest spike in the cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday as it reported 3.79 lakh fresh cases, the highest ever single-day spike recorded globally. In the last 24 hours, 3,645 fresh cases of COVID-induced fatalities were reported taking the total death toll of the country to 2.04 lakhs. Yesterday's surge in the cases of the novel coronavirus takes the total tally of the country's caseload to 1.83 crores while the active cases amount to 30.77 lakhs. Over 3 lakh COVID-19 cases have been reported in India for more than a week, making it the second-worst coronavirus-affected country in the world. 

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