NEW DELHI. India records a new acceleration of the devastating wave of Covid: more than 400,000 new cases have been registered in the last 24 hours. The Indian authorities let their guard down in the first part of the year after the collapse of the infections, lifting the restrictions on most activities and allowing the holding of mass gatherings, both religious and political. Less than two months, the health minister announced that India was “at the end” of the pandemic and New Delhi sent millions of vaccines overseas.
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India, over 18 vaccinations for 500 million people
Meanwhile, the authorities have announced the opening of the vaccination campaign to all adults over the age of 18, although many states have already made it known that they do not have sufficient doses. Despite a promising start in January, the vaccination campaign in India has since slowed and so far only 150 million doses have been administered (out of a population of 1.3 billion), with the forecast that the target of 250 will not be reached. millions of people vaccinated by July.
Fire in Covid hospital in India
Also today it is learned that at least 12 Covid patients have died in a fire in a hospital, in Bharuch, in the western state of Gujarat. The police reported it. The flames spread to a four-story structure that housed about fifty patients.
Returning Australians from India risk jail There are about 9,000, of which 600 are vulnerable
And the BBC reports that Australian citizens returning from India could face up to 5 years in prison and fines after the government banned travel from the Asian country earlier this week. The Minister of Health explained that the measure is “based on the proportion of people in quarantine who have contracted Covid-19 in India”, a country struggling with a new outbreak of infections. There are approximately 9,000 Australians in India, of which 600 are considered vulnerable. It is the first time that Australians have been criminalized for returning to their country, local media reported.