India's coronavirus situation is rapidly deteriorating with COVID-19 cases in the country over the past week accounting for about 46% of the global total.
The World Health Organization said Thursday that the cases of a highly infectious new variant first identified in the country have overwhelmed the nation's healthcare system.
On Thursday, Indian officials reported more than 400,000 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours. Fatalities linked to the virus surged by a record 3,980 over the same period.
According to data from the country's health ministry, the nation's total coronavirus cases has surged past 21 million and its death toll now stands at 230,168. The country became the second country to pass the 20 million infections mark after the U.S.
The WHO said India has run out of hospital beds and oxygen and morgues are overflowing. People are reportedly dying outside hospitals and in ambulances as they wait for available beds.
In its weekly epidemiological report, the WHO said India recorded a staggering 2.6 million new cases over the past week. This represents a 20% week-on-week increase, the report said.
The WHO's report is based on official tallies, which means that the figure could be even larger. Experts believe that a large number of cases and deaths are likely not being recorded due to the overwhelming crisis in the world's second-most populated country.
The WHO said the outbreak in India is quickly spreading to its neighbors. Nepal reportedly recorded a 137% increase in its daily cases, while Sri Lanka also reported a similar surge.
The country of more than 1.3 billion people has requested aid from the international community as it runs out of vital supplies and key drugs. Officials are scrambling to acquire more supplies such as desperately needed liquid oxygen. On Thursday, two "oxygen express" trains arrived in the nation's capital but officials said it still may not be enough.
Indian officials have pledged billions of dollars to boost the country's vaccine programs and healthcare system. The country's central bank announced that it would release up to $6.7 billion in cheap financing for vaccine makers and hospitals.
"The devastating speed with which the virus affects different regions of the country has to be matched by swift and wide-ranging actions," Reserve Bank of India governor, Shaktikanta Das, said.
