The current development of the corona pandemic is causing great problems for many countries.
It is particularly bad in India.
Karl Lauterbach fears consequences for Europe.
New Delhi / Berlin - The corona virus is raging worldwide.
Now the situation in the country with the second largest population in the world has worsened dramatically.
In India, the Ministry of Health reported 274,000 new corona cases in just 24 hours.
For the state with over 1.3 billion inhabitants, the current situation is extremely threatening.
The health system is already working to the limit.
India's capital New Delhi reacted with tough measures and imposed a curfew, which has been in effect since Monday (April 19).
It should last for a week.
Corona: New infections in India are increasing rapidly - Johnson cancels state visit
Conditions in the country are catastrophic.
In many places there is a lack of hospital beds, medical oxygen and medicines.
Corona vaccine is also not available in sufficient numbers.
In addition, there are increasing reports of crematoria that are completely overloaded in view of the many deaths.
India recorded 1,619 deaths in a single day, according to official figures, as of Monday, in which people died in connection with Covid-19.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already reacted to recent developments in India.
He canceled his planned state visit for the time being.
"Given the current coronavirus situation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson cannot travel to India next week," said Downing Street on Monday.
Johnson's visit to India is to be rescheduled for the end of the month.
But whether the situation has relaxed by then?
Karl Lauterbach (SPD) warns of "Covid catastrophe" due to mutation B1.617
The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach apparently does not believe that. Lauterbach expressed his greatest concern on Twitter. And believes that developments there can also have an impact on Europe. “The Covid catastrophe is looming in India. New mutation B1.617 prevails massively, also against B117. Since B1.617 can also prevail in vaccination, Europe also faces a problem. B1.617 is growing rapidly in England, but it is still unclear whether these are just travelers, ”wrote Lauterbach.
The social democrat sees the western industrial nations as having a duty to give India and other nations a hand.
Many nations, especially the financially weak states, are dependent on help.
"Case numbers are exploding in India and mutations will also reach other poorer countries," predicted Lauterbach in his tweet.
He went on to say: “Industrialized countries have a moral duty to provide poorer countries with vaccines as quickly as possible.
Technically it is possible, economically and ethically a must. "
Weeks ago, four politicians from four parliamentary groups in the Bundestag had spoken out in favor of more vaccination support for countries in the global south at the request of Merkur.de * - and some warned of problems with new mutations if that did not happen.
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List of rubric lists: © Mahesh Kumar A./dpa
