'Deepest prayers': Bhutan pledges 'complete solidarity' with India's COVID-19 fight

As India is rocked with the crippling second wave of COVID-19, Bhutan’s Foreign Affairs Minister Tandi Dorji offered “deepest prayers” and pledged “complete solidarity” with the Indian government. As per news agency ANI, he also noted that India is currently facing the “most difficult” phase of the pandemic and prayed for a speedy recovery. Dorji’s remarks came on April 24 when India recorded 3.46 lakh new COVID-19 cases which is the world’s highest one-day surge in coronavirus infections for the third consecutive day.

“Our deepest prayers and complete solidarity to the government and people of India in this most difficult period of the pandemic. Praying and hoping for quick relief and recovery,” said Tandi Dorji.

At present, the total cases in India have mounted to 1.66 crores with active cases being 25.52 lakh. To date, India has recorded at least 1.89 lakh with 1.38 crore recoveries. Meanwhile, the total number of people who have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is 13.83 crores. On Saturday, Delhi High Court also asked the Centre about the preparedness to deal with the expected COVID-19 second wave peak amid the oxygen crisis and shortage of drugs and hospital beds in several states. The Delhi HC bench termed the massive rise of COVID-19 cases as a ‘tsunami’.

20 COVID-19 Patients Die Due To Low Oxygen Pressure

As India battles the disastrous situation,  20 critical COVID-19 patients lost their lives on Friday night as they did not receive oxygen in Delhi's Jaipur Golden hospital in Rohini. Over 200 more lives are at risk due to lack of oxygen supply. The Medical doctor D K Baluja informed that only half an hour of more oxygen was left.  The doctor also said that the reason behind the unfortunate incident is that on Friday oxygen was not re-filled in the 3.5 metric tonne oxygen supply allotted by the government. 

"Last night, only 1500 litres of oxygen was given, and as it is not enough, we were left with no oxygen resulting in death of 20 people," added doctor D K Baluja. 

Image credits: ANI/PTI