As India’s Covid-19 infections soar to hundreds of thousands on a daily basis, with many more testing positive, countries around the world gripped by panic are taking frantic measures to avert the devastating effect of the virus in their countries.
India, a South Asian Country with a population of over 2 billion has in the past week experienced over two thousand deaths as the country battles with the debilitating effect of COVID-19 which has continued to ravage the country.
This has sent panic waves to countries around the world, Nigeria not exempted resulting in many of them, aware of the devastating effect of the virus, to consider series of measures in order to stem the tide of the virus.
With the number of daily infections hitting 332,000 infections today, Maharashtra, India’s second most populous and wealthiest (per capita) state, is reported to lead the list of most affected states in the country.
Hospitals in India are buckling under the weight of ever rising cases of patients; with not enough beds, an acute shortage of oxygen and other medical supplies, hospital managements are forced to turn away patients. However, given the severity of the situation, some medical experts in India have resorted to providing the people with directions on how prevent contracting coronavirus as well as reel out advice in the event of one taking ill.
Given India’s high population and their propensity to travel, some in Nigeria are advising the Federal Government to consider imposing a travel ban on the citizens. Developing country like Nigeria have in view of the threatening third wave of the coronavirus is intensifying efforts to increase the number of vaccination on a daily basis in addition to observing strictly all other Covid-19 protocols; washing of hands regularly, sanitizing hands, wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing. Only recently, there were reported suggestions in some official quarters of prevailing on the government of Nigeria to ban the Emirate Airline which is believed goes to India. Others have more drastic suggestions of closing the airports to curtail the influx of people from heavily affected areas from coming into the country.
The belief in most quarters is that the Indian case worsened when they let down their guards, with many becoming non-compliant with masking and social distancing protocols with large gatherings which took place recently during their election rallies and religious festivals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the situation in India was a “devastating reminder” of what the coronavirus could do.
Earlier this year, the Indian government believed it had beaten the virus. New cases fell to 11,000 by mid-February, vaccines were being exported, and in March the health minister said India was “in the endgame” of the pandemic.
However, since then, a new surge has erupted, driven by the emergence of new variants, as well as mass gatherings, such as the Kumbh Mela festival, where millions of pilgrims gathered earlier this month.
Hospitals in Delhi are simply overwhelmed. And while calling for caution have warned they are at breaking point.