By Servet Gunerigok
WASHINGTON (AA) - US government flights with coronavirus aid will start arriving in India on Thursday night and will continue through to next week, State Department Spokesman Ned Price said.
"Reflecting the United States solidarity with India, as it battles a new wave of COVID-19 cases, the United States is delivering supplies worth more than $100 million in the coming days, to provide urgent relief to our partners in India," said Price at a press briefing.
He said the US government, private companies, non-governmental organizations and thousands of Americans from across the country have mobilized to deliver vital oxygen, related equipment and essential supplies for Indian hospitals to support front frontline health-care workers and the people of India.
"If we are to make progress against this current surge of cases in India, it can't be something that the Indian government tackles alone, it can't be something that the United States government tackles alone. Everyone has a role to play," said Price.
White House on Wednesday announced the aid in a statement, which includes 1,000 oxygen cylinders, 1700 oxygen concentrators, oxygen generation units, 15 million N95 masks, vaccine-manufacturing supplies, one million rapid diagnostic tests, and therapeutics.
Price said the aid should be put to immediate and effective use.
India is currently experiencing a skyrocketing increase in infections where since mid-April it registered more than 300,000 daily infections that have brought its health system to near collapse.