COVID: UK to send 3 oxygen generation units to India with producing capacity of 500L/min

As solidarity has outpoured from across the globe, the United Kingdom confirmed to have dispatched vital medical equipment to India. Britain announced that they have arranged to send three oxygen generation units with producing capacity of 500 litres of oxygen per minute. In their previous consignments, the UK government had consigned ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stock to the Government of India. 

The first round of consignment from the UK had arrived in Delhi during early hours of April 29. The said consignment constituted of 95 Oxygen Concentrators and 100 Ventilators. The second round of consignment contained 120 Oxygen Concentrators while the third series of dispatchment consisted 280 oxygen concentrators, 40 ventilators.

The UK government had shared that the oxygen concentrators delivered to India and the quota in transit can extract oxygen from the air in the atmosphere so that it can be provided to COVID-19 patients. This takes the strain off hospital oxygen systems, thus, giving inflow of oxygen in situations where hospital oxygen supplies have conked off. 

Amid raging COVID-19 figures, media reports, and gutting images of collapsing medical infrastructure, many countries have poured in their solidarity with India. Previously, United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia, European Union, Singapore, Bhutan amongst few others have come forward to provide assistance to India in procuring tonnes of liquid medical oxygen, transporting mobile oxygen plants, drugs, and vaccines against destructive COVID-19 second-wave. This would ensure requisite medical oxygen across states which are facing shortages. In the recent past, COVID-19 patients have succumbed to the virus due to a dearth of medical oxygen supply at hospitals. 

The assistance by friendly States and compilation of supplies can be perused as follows. 

COVID-19 tally in India

India recorded 3,86,452 new COVID-19 infections in a span of 24 hours, the highest single-day rise so far, pushing the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,87,62,976, while active cases crossed the 31-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The death toll increased to 2,08,330 with 3,498 new fatalities, as per data updated at 8 am showed.

The Centre has liberalised and accelerated Phase-3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination and will be implemented from May 1 and registration for the new eligible population groups started on Wednesday.