COVID-19 onslaught at its peak: India marks its deadliest day of pandemic

Summary

• The world reported over 800,000 fresh infection cases, 44% of which are from India
• India’s death tally due to COVID-19 has crossed the 200,000-mark officially
• Australian cricketers donate funds for relief in India; Brett Lee donates Bitcoin

The concerns over have increased manifolds, as the world’s second most populous country – India – marked its deadliest day since the onset of the pandemic.

There seemed to be no let-up in the unrelenting onslaught of COVID-19 as India reported 3,285 daily fatalities on Tuesday – its deadliest since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. With Tuesday’s death tally, India has crossed the alarming mark of 200,000 COVID-19 deaths till now. The country has lost 201,165 of its citizens to the deadly virus – third highest tally globally, after the US and Brazil.

While the US is seeing things stabilising after the second wave of the virus, Brazil has seen far higher mortality due to the virus – the death rate in the South American nation stands at 2.74%, 60 basis points (bps) more than the global death rate.

In case of India, the death rate stands far lower at 1.12%, though there are aspersions being cast against the country underreporting the numbers. Many experts have pegged the actual deaths in the country to be far higher than the reported numbers.

Globally, all the countries put together reported 14,697 deaths, on Tuesday, almost half which came from India and Brazil. The fresh daily infections globally on Tuesday stood at 826,728. India, with its healthcare system buckling under the deadly second wave of the virus, made up 44% of the global cases – reporting 362,902 daily cases.

There have been reports suggesting that the positivity rate in Kolkata – the capital city of poll-bound eastern Indian province of West Bengal – is in the range of 45%-55%.

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Brett Lee donates Bitcoin

As the country is scrambling for oxygen and critical medicines, two Australian cricketers – Brett Lee and Pat Cummins – have offered generous donations as part of COVID-19 relief in India.

While Pat Cummins has said that he would be donating US$50,000 to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) – a relief fund set up last year, which was  mired in lot of controversies as critics have been alleging lack of transparency in the fund.

On the other hand, fast bowling sensation Brett Lee, who is one of the most adored cricketers in cricket-frenzied India, has decided to donate one bitcoin for COVID relief in India. “I feel privileged to be in the position of making difference, and with that in mind, I would like to donate 1 BTC (bitcoin) to Crypto Relief to help with the purchase of oxygen supplies for the hospitals across India (sic),” Mr Lee said in a statement.

As on date, Bitcoin – the world’s largest cryptocurrency – is trading at US$55,632.73, up 3.38% in the past 24 hours.

Aussie IPL cricketers rush back home

Meanwhile, three Australian Cricketers – Andrew Tye (Rajasthan Royals), Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson (Royal Challengers Bangalore) have already withdrawn from this year’s cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) and left India, due to COVID-19 concerns.

Another Australian cricketer – Chris Lyyn, who plays for defending champions Mumbai Indians – has also withdrawn from the IPL. However, his return to Australia is unlikely as the country has suspended flight operations with India for next 15 days. As per reports, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that no special arrangement would be made to bring back players taking part in IPL.