MORE HELL TO COME
India Covid death toll could top ONE MILLION by July as experts warn of ‘inevitable’ third wave
INDIA could hit a grim milestone of one million coronavirus deaths by July as mutant variants wreak havoc in the country.
It comes as health chiefs warn of an "inevitable" third wave of Covid as hospitals buckle under a “tsunami” of infections and soaring death numbers.
🔵 Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest updates
7
7
7
According to a prediction from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the worst case scenario could see India's death toll top one million by July.
But even by the research centre's forecast based on current conditions, India is still on course to hit more than one million Covid deaths by August.
The IHME believes in the worst case scenario, by July 1 the total number of fatalities from Covid will be 1,021,200, while "current projection" is that 961,692 deaths would have been recorded by this date.
By August 1, however, these figures increase to 1,121,974 and 1,018,878 respectively.
India is suffering from the world's worst second wave of Covid and even though it shows no sign of slowing, there are fears a third wave is due to hit.
The country's top medical advisor has warned people to brace for a repeat of devastating scenes, with the crisis already overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums - where bodies are being burned en masse.
"Phase three is inevitable given the high levels of circulating virus," K. Vijay Raghavan said, reports the
"But it is not clear on what timescale this phase three will occur.
7
7
"We should prepare for new waves."
Just today, India has reported record-breaking figures, with a further 412,292 cases and 3,980 new deaths.
The government-backed model used to forecast how the pandemic will unfold has been questioned by scientists as its predictions have so far been incorrect, however.
The system, known as SUTRA, may have played a key part in creating the perception that a second wave was unlikely in India, reports .
But while the country battles the Covid crisis, its biggest state has set up a dedicated helpline for cows.
Help desks are being created in all of Uttar Pradesh's district for people to call and report cattle needing aid, reports the .
7
7
Shelters for cows will receive medical equipment - such as oximeters and thermal scanners - for the animals
It comes after it was warned Covid mutant variants spawning from out of control outbreaks like in India and Brazil mean ";no one is safe" unless vaccine rollouts are widened.
The People's Vaccine Alliance (PVA) - a global coalition of 50 organizations - told The Sun Online about the critical danger the new strains pose if more support isn't given to help vaccinate people worldwide.
It warned under current estimations many developing countries will not hit the necessary levels of vaccination to end the pandemic until 2024.
With a connected world, any new outbreaks or variants could spread to countries which have already vaccinated - and the new mutations may be able to dodge the antibodies given by the jabs.
"This failure puts us all at risk," Anna Marriott, health policy manager at Oxfam, told The Sun Online.
Most read in News
Meanwhile, Wednesday's G7 meeting in London was rocked by a Covid scare after two members of the Indian delegation tested positive.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The country's entire team is now self-isolating, but will still try to attend meetings of the group virtually.
The UK has sent several aid shipments to help the country's overwhelmed hospitals, including thousands of ventilators and oxygen concentrators.
Family members find Indian hospital full of DEAD COVID PATIENTS – that staff allegedly HID FROM THEM
Topics