army

India sends army to help hospitals hit by Covid-19 as countries promise aid

In a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said oxygen would be released to hospitals from armed forces reserves and retired medical military personnel would join Covid-19 health facilities.

Where possible, military medical infrastructure will be made available to civilians, a government statement said, as new coronavirus infections hit a record peak for a fifth day.

Virologists said more infectious variants of the virus, including an Indian one, have fuelled the resurgence.