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India’s Deadly Second Wave
Covid-19’s deadly grip on India is tightening, even as restrictions are lifting around the world.
As the second deadly wave of coronavirus infections in India devastates the country, the government announced that vaccination centers in Mumbai, India’s largest city, would be closed for three days following Friday.
Though India is one of the world’s leading vaccine manufacturers, it has struggled with its own vaccination rates. India has administered over 15 million vaccinations, a small portion of its population of just under 1.4 billion people, according to the Health Ministry.
The municipal government said in a tweet on Thursday evening that the closure of the 94 centers was due to “non-availability of vaccine stock.”
“All efforts are being made to make more stock available and resume the drive.”
By the end of April, India reported more than 17.9 million infections and more than 200,000 people dead, though experts have estimated the actual figures were likely much higher. During this time, India reported almost 380,000 new infections on Thursday, marking another global record for the highest single-day infection count.
Numerous states and cities within India have implemented new restrictions in a scrambling attempt to contain the outbreak. Clinics across India have…