India recorded its highest daily death toll in a month on Wednesday amid a nationwide outcry over the government's denial of an oxygen crisis.
The government added nearly 3,500 previously unreported coronavirus fatalities from western Maharashtra state to the daily tally, pushing India’s total to more than 418,000 deaths.
A steady stream of deaths and fresh infection cases continue in the nation, which was battered by a brutal pandemic wave in April and May. In Kerala and Maharashtra, cases are still on the rise and the test positivity rate remains over 10.
Maharashtra, including its capital Mumbai, is one of the worst affected states, with 6.2 million confirmed cases and more than 130,000 deaths during the pandemic.
India’s Health Ministry on Wednesday reported another 42,000 confirmed cases and nearly 4,000 deaths, taking the country’s caseload to 31 million, the second highest after the US.
Several Indian states have reviewed their death toll in the past, blaming missing documentation or administrative errors.
Experts cite scarce resources for death anomalies in the country, where only 22 per cent of nearly 10 million annual deaths are medically certified.
The reconciled figures come a day after a Washington-based think-tank, the Centre for Global Development, said that the excess death toll in India could be as high as 4.9 million.
The report, co-authored by India's former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, studied deaths from the beginning of the pandemic to June this year after the second wave ebbed from a record high of 414,000 cases per day on May 6.
"What is tragically clear is that too many people, in the millions rather than hundreds of thousands, may have died," the report said, estimating between 3.4 to 4.9 million deaths.
Experts have accused India of undercounting the dead.
More than 22 million confirmed infections and 250,000 deaths were registered in the third wave, with the public left scrambling to find hospital beds, lifesaving drugs and medical oxygen.
Some died on the pavements outside hospitals and many more inside their homes as they gasped for breath amid desperate pleas by families for help.
Crematoriums and graveyards across the country were filled with victims and hundreds of dead bodies of suspected Covid-19 patients were seen floating in the Ganges in May.
The report comes amid a raging outcry over Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s claim that no person died due to the shortage of oxygen in the country during the second wave.
India’s newly appointed junior health minister, Bharati Pravin Pawar, told Parliament on Tuesday that they had no figures on people who died due to shortage of oxygen, sparking outrage.
When asked by an opposition parliamentarian whether a large number of Covid patients died on roads and hospitals due to an acute shortage of oxygen in the second wave, Ms Pawara said: "No deaths due to lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by states and [union territories].”
Opposition parties, healthcare workers and survivors accused the government of lacking empathy.
Several states, including Delhi, had reported severe shortage of oxygen supplies in April and May after infection cases overwhelmed hospitals, forcing courts to order Mr Modi’s government to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supplies.
Dozens of countries sent medical aid to India, including oxygen cylinders to overcome the shortages as black marketers forced desperate patients to pay 100 times the usual price for oxygen.
“Everybody knows that there was a shortage of oxygen and people died due to that,” Dr SCL Gupta, medical director of Batra Hospitals, told The National.
At least 12 patients, including a colleague of Dr Gupta, died in a single day at the hospital after it ran out of oxygen supplies in April. Similar shortages were reported at hospitals in Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka states.
Shyam Singh, whose brother-in-law died, allegedly in a shortage, at a hospital in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, said: “This government is lying.”
His 35-year-old relative was one of 17 coronavirus patients whose families claim died in 24 hours after oxygen shortages at the Brightstar Hospital.
“At least 17 people died in one night because the hospital ran out of oxygen and they are saying no one died of a shortage? It is very disturbing,” Mr Singh told The National.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Hobbies: Writing and running
Favourite sport: beach volleyball
Favourite holiday destinations: Turkey and Puerto Rico
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster
Price, base: Dh708,750
Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 374hp (total)
Torque: 570Nm (total)
Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Norway
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Canada
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
The specs: 2018 Bentley Bentayga V8
Price, base: Dh853,226
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 550hp @ 6,000pm
Torque: 770Nm @ 1,960rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Maserati Ghibli
Price, base / as tested: Dh269,000 / Dh369,000
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 355hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.9L / 100km
More Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions:
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
The years Ramadan fell in May
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The details
Colette
Director: Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Our take: 3/5
More on animal trafficking
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
