Delhi Customs facilitates clearance of COVID-19 assistance from UAE

The Delhi Customs on Friday announced that it has facilitated smooth clearance of 157 ventilators, 480 BiPAPs and other medical supplies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"Air Cargo Import, Delhi Customs facilitated smooth clearance of 157 ventilators, 480 BiPAPs and other medical supplies from UAE," tweeted Delhi Customs.

Earlier, a consignment of 423 oxygen cylinders with regulators and other medical supplies from the United States reached India, as it battles the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

India also received 80 oxygen concentrators and 75 oxygen cylinders from Romania and received 280 oxygen concentrators from the United Kingdom.

The worsening COVID-19 situation in India has seen a surge in the demand for medical oxygen and beds for the COVID-19 patients. Several countries around the world have come forward to help India.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla on Thursday informed reporters that over 40 countries have committed to provide India with assistance to deal with the deadly second wave of the virus.

"... Actually, there has been quite an outpouring of solidarity with India, there has outpouring from various countries, over 40 countries have committed to provide us with many of the items that we need most urgently," he said at a special media briefing.

India recorded 3,86,452 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. This is the highest single-day spike in the cases since the pandemic began last year.

According to the Union Health Ministry, as many as 3,498 deaths and 2,97,540 recoveries were also recorded in the last 24 hours.

The cumulative count of the COVID-19 cases has gone up to 1,87,62,976. The total active cases of the infection in India have now mounted to 31,70,228.

( With inputs from ANI )