New look: India faces violent recovery in the epidemic

Among the most populous countries in the world, with nearly 1.39 billion people, India has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 15.3 million cases and 181,000 deaths. Since the start of March, an impressive new wave has engulfed the country, with the number of daily cases rising from an average of 12,000 in early March to more than 200,000 on average for five days, and peaking on Tuesday with more than 270,000 cases. Within 24 hours.

The acceleration of the epidemic is particularly explained by the emergence of a new variant called B.1.617, also nicknamed ‘Double mutant’ Due to its mutations, L452R, which was observed in the Californian variant, and E484Q, which was detected in the Brazilian and South African variants. “It is a much more virulent viral strain, and it causes more cases in the population, and more severe cases.”Olivier Thiel, an epidemiologist at the National Center for Scientific Research in India, explains for TF1.

Today, this Indian variant is responsible for around 11% of the pollution in the country and has forced New Delhi’s residents to reset themselves as of Monday, for at least a week. As a direct result of this increase in pollution in New Delhi, many residents have decided to go into exile in the countryside and flee the capital, where nearly one in three residents test positive for Covid-19.

In addition to the Indian alternative, the easing of restrictions since January also explains the increase in pollution, with the symbol of these licensed religious festivals that in recent weeks have brought together nearly four million pilgrims in the north of the country. While all hospitals are overcrowded, beds, medicines and even oxygen are in short supply and patients are increasingly young.

To fight this second wave, authorities have opened vaccination from the age of 18 starting May 1. However, India distributed only 122 million doses, which is insufficient to cover the entire population.