Biden says US determined to help India amid COVID-19 crisis

President Joe Biden said the US is determined to help India as it grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases. Earlier on Sunday, the White House said the US is working around the clock to immediately deploy to India drug treatments and rapid diagnostic COVID-19 testing kits.

Washington: The United States is determined to "help" India as it faces unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, said US President Joe Biden.

In a tweet, Biden acknowledged last year's assistance from India to America when the latter was facing a healthcare crisis.

Source: Twitter

Last year during the first COVID-19 wave, India shipped 50 million tablets of hydroxychloroquine to the United States following a request by then US President Donald Trump.

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"Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need," Biden tweeted.

Earlier on Sunday, the United States announced that it will provide the raw material required for the Indian manufacture of the Covishield vaccine to India.

The announcement was made after National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke on the phone with Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, expressing deep sympathy for the people of India following the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

According to a readout from The White House, Sullivan affirmed America's solidarity with India. US and India are the two countries with the greatest number of COVID-19 cases in the world.

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Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris has said America is working closely with the Indian government to rapidly deploy additional support and supplies during an alarming COVID-19 outbreak

"The U.S. is working closely with the Indian government to rapidly deploy additional support and supplies during an alarming COVID-19 outbreak. As we assist, we pray for the people of India--including its courageous healthcare workers," Harris tweeted.

India is witnessing a deadly COVID-19 wave, with the country reporting over 3 lakh daily cases from the last few days.

India on Sunday reported 3,49,391 new Covid-19 cases and 2,767 deaths in the last 24 hours. According to the Union Health Ministry, five states -- Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Kerala -- contribute 54 per cent of the cases.

ANI

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