Salesforce steps up to India to combat COVID-19, sends medical aid amid crisis

As India continues to reel under the unprecedented second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, Chairman of America-based software company Marc Benioff took to his official Twitter handle and informed that Salesforce has started loading a 787 with medical supplies including oxygen concentrators and pulse oximeters. Marc Benioff said that these supplies will land in India on May 8th. "All of our hearts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters in India. May they all be protected, healed and blessed," he added. 

2nd shipment from USAID reaches India

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the departures of three additional COVID-19 relief supply aircraft carrying life-saving oxygen supplied, and other critical health commodities to the country. As per USAID, 2 air shipments have arrived in India.

According to a press release, these additional flights are transporting additional oxygen cylinders and regulators, oxygen concentrators, rapid diagnostic tests, and more than one million N95 masks. Importantly, one of these flights will carry a Deployable Oxygen Concentration System, donated generously by California, with additional supplies to follow. On Saturday night, a flight from the US, carrying 1,000 oxygen cylinders, regulators, and other medical equipment landed in India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed.

COVID-19 situation in India

Amid the sudden surge in the number of cases, India so far has recorded over 1,95,57,457 positive COVID-19 cases, out of which 1,59,92,271 have successfully recovered and 2,15,542 have died. As per the latest reports from MoHFW, in the past 24 hours 3,92,488 new cases,3,07,865 fresh recoveries and 3,689 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active cases in the country is 33,49,644.

(Image: PTI, AP, Twitter: @Benioff)