With COVID-19 infections in the U.S. dropping to their lowest levels in seven months, India hit another grim milestone Thursday breaching the 400,000 mark for the second time.
The record daily infections continue to soar as demand for medical oxygen jumped seven-fold.
“Because of the demand for oxygen, there is no doubt a black market and so the price has gone up like three to 400 times, but the people are desperate to get oxygen,” said Victor Emmanuel, with CBN’s Operation Blessing International.
Emmanuel’s humanitarian group is delivering 150 critical cylinders of medical oxygen to the Philadelphia Ambala Mission hospital in Haryana, India.
“Now, with the help of Operation Blessing providing the oxygen to the hospital, we can treat close to 950 people over the span of two weeks so that’s a great blessing to the patients that are coming to the hospital,” Emmanuel told CBN News.
The hospital, founded by an American missionary in 1887, is a designated COVID-19 center treating hundreds of patients.
The hospital’s director told CBN News the nationwide lack of oxygen only compounds the crisis.
“When the patients come with low oxygen saturation it is really a problem we have to refuse the patients from getting into the hospital,” said Dr. Sunil Sadiq, director at Philadelphia Ambala Mission Hospital.
Dr. Sadiq says the virus is devastating many Indian lives, including many Christians.
More than 230,000 have died there from COVID so far, and experts warn deaths may double in the coming weeks.
He said the hospital is more than just a place to treat patients.
“When the patient comes, we are every day, we are praying three or four times a day for the patient and when they come they feel that there is a divine power working in our hospital,” Sadiq said.
India’s health experts are welcoming President Biden’s move to waive COVID-19 vaccine patents, allowing countries like India to boost their supply.
Emmanuel urges people around the world to remember India during this time.
“There’s a lot of suffering around and I urge you to please pray for the nation of India, for healing, for God’s comfort and peace,” he said.