Bollywood star Varun Dhawan on Saturday joined an initiative to help procure and donate oxygen concentrators to hospitals amid the raging second wave of COVID-19. After extending his support last year through various initiatives, the actor has now contributed to help fund the requirement across the country through this new move. He took to his Instagram handle and shared a statement revealing that the first shipment has already reached India and has been deployed at 14 hospitals.
The statement read, "During uncertain times like these, our healthcare system needs utmost help. Since we know that oxygen is the need of the hour, I have contributed and partnered with @MissionOxygenIndia in their initiative to procure and donate lifesaving oxygen concentrators to hospitals across the country."
The statement further continued, "As a group of 30 something individuals who have managed to step up for the country in this time of need and raise over Rs 21 crores for the procurement of 3,900 OCs in under a week. I resonate deeply with their cause and urge everyone to help in whatever capacity possible. The first shipment of oxygen concentrators arrived in the country and they have already been allocated across 14 hospitals."
India for the first time has reported more than 4 lakh new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. A total of 4,01,993 fresh COVID-19 cases recorded in the last 24 hours taking the cumulative count of the cases to 1,91,64,969, the Union Health Ministry reported on Saturday. With 3,523 people succumbing to the infection in the last 24 hours, the death toll has mounted to 2,11,853. Currently, there are 32,68,710 active cases of COVID-19 in the country.
India also witnessed as many as 2,99,988 recoveries in the last 24 hours taking the cumulative recoveries to 1,56,84,406. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), as many as 28,83,37,385 samples tested for COVID-19 up to April 30. Of these 19,45,299 samples were tested on Friday.
The total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered stand at over 15,49,89,635 crore, informed the health ministry.
