US to ramp up support for virus-hit India

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States will “immediately” make supplies of vaccine-production material, as well as therapeutics, tests, ventilators and protective equipment available to India as the South Asian giant battles a COVID-19 surge, the White House said Sunday.

Western nations including Britain, France, Canada and Germany have also pledged help as India’s coronavirus crisis grows, driving an increase in the global case count in recent days even as the number of vaccines administered worldwide surpassed the one billion mark.

Worst-hit in the country of 1.3 billion people was the capital New Delhi, with reports of overwhelmed hospitals, severe oxygen and medicine shortages, and patients’ families pleading for help on social media.

“The United States has identified sources of specific raw material urgently required for Indian manufacture of the Covishield vaccine that will immediately be made available for India,” a White House statement said.

Washington has also “identified supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will immediately be made available for India,” said the statement from National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne.