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Ireland to send 700 oxygen concentrators to India to battle Covid crisis

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed the aid package as part of the co-ordinated EU response, as cases in India passed 350,000 a day.

IRELAND IS TO donate 700 oxygen concentrators to India as part of efforts to assist with the devastating Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

India reported more than 350,000 confirmed cases in 24 hours on Monday, with hospitals in crisis, turning away patients due to a lack of oxygen and bed capacity.

It was the fifth day in a row that cases had hit a record peak, prompting pledges of aid from the US, the European Union and the UK.

Ireland is to send 700 oxygen concentrators – a device that draws oxygen from the air and delivers it to patients – as part of its emergency material donation.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “We have all seen the rapidly deteriorating situation in relation to Covid-19 in India.

“I am pleased that Ireland is in a position to make this emergency donation of 700 oxygen concentrators to India.

“These machines will support frontline healthcare workers in India to deliver care to patients who need it.

“I am grateful to all those who have been working together over the weekend to make this life-saving donation happen.”

The donation is being made through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, as part of Ireland’s contribution to the joint EU response to the crisis in India.

It is taken from stocks originally purchased by the HSE for use in a field hospital setting, as part of pandemic preparations.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said: “Ireland is among the first states to confirm concrete support to India.

“At a time of great difficulty for India, we want to show solidarity with a country and people with whom we have strong historical and modern day relations.

“We are glad to provide this support at a time of such need and to be doing so as part of a wider EU response.”

2.55403109 Simon Coveney

The plan was developed in co-ordination with the Department of Health, Foreign Affairs and Housing and Local Government.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said: “This emergency donation is another example of the Irish people’s extraordinary generosity of spirit and clear desire to want to help our international friends.

“I am keenly aware that many people living in Ireland have friends and family in India and are distressed at the very sad scenes we are witnessing there and I hope Government’s rapid response offers them some comfort.”

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, whose father is Indian, indicated on Sunday that Ireland would send help.

He tweeted: “There are many Indian people working in our health service. India is currently facing a terrible second wave causing suffering beyond our comprehension.

“We are assessing a plan to provide oxygen and ventillators to India working with the EU.”

A decision on whether India will be added to Ireland’s “red list” of countries from which arriving passengers must undergo mandatory hotel quarantine is expected from public health chiefs this week.

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    Mute Tracey Keating Coughlan
    Favourite Tracey Keating Coughlan
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    Apr 26th 2021, 4:24 PM

    Thats good news we can give India some sort of help. My god these people are suffering, I hope India gets what it needs to help these people….. and to our government pull your finger out and put India on the red list! We do not need this on our shores…….

    460
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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Apr 26th 2021, 4:35 PM

    @Tracey Keating Coughlan: Czechia and Slovakia world leaders in Covid infections and they’ve not been on list.

    66
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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Apr 26th 2021, 4:40 PM

    @Tracey Keating Coughlan: it’s probably not a priority as there are no direct flights from India.

    38
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    Mute Brian Madden
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    Apr 26th 2021, 4:45 PM

    @Paul Furey: there are no direct flights from brazil and south africa and we got those variants. There are flights here from the major European hubs which do have direct flights to india.

    88
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    Mute Keith Dempsey
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    Apr 26th 2021, 4:56 PM

    @Paul Furey: no direct flights from Wuhan either and it kicked off here..

    67
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    Mute artur fil
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    Apr 26th 2021, 5:04 PM

    @Peter McGlynn: Czechia 820 cases, Slovakia 99 cases doesnt look to me like they are world leaders in Covid. Czechia is very good in ice hockey I would consider them as world leaders.

    27
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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Apr 26th 2021, 5:10 PM

    @Brian Madden: why haven’t the countries receiving those flights banned them

    10
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    Mute Liam Ó hAodha
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    Apr 26th 2021, 5:12 PM

    @Paul Furey: You’ll be eating them words in a few weeks meh we’re riddled in the Indian variant

    16
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    Mute Tony Stanley
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    Apr 26th 2021, 5:30 PM

    @Paul Furey: Plenty of connection options via DXB, DOH, AUH, LHR, AMS and CDG still.

    13
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    Mute Joe Thorpe
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    Apr 26th 2021, 5:14 PM

    Maybe India will think about its priorities? Nuclear Weapons & a Space program while so many in the country exist on peanuts or starve to death in the 21st century.

    238
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    Mute David Jordan
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    Apr 26th 2021, 6:31 PM

    @Joe Thorpe: Fewer are starving in India now, though that is persistent a problem for some in India, on the contrary many now have an obesity problem. It’s a country of extremes, 50% of Indians are overweight.

    https://laptrinhx.com/1-out-of-2-indians-are-obese-india-needs-to-lose-weight-2977796998/

    16
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    Mute Bananaquit
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    Apr 26th 2021, 7:20 PM

    @Joe Thorpe: because the time to put the boot in is when people are dying by the thousand? You don’t stand outside a burning house suggesting that maybe the owner should have bought sprinklers.

    29
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    Mute Damo
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    Apr 26th 2021, 7:43 PM

    @David Jordan: TBF Indian food is fair good…

    6
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    Mute David Jordan
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    Apr 26th 2021, 8:21 PM

    @Damo: It’s western junk food that’s contributing to India’s obesity problems. Traditional Indian food is vegetarian and healthy, they are used to it and it kept them thin.

    See: ‘Obesity is not an issue’: Why the Indian government is courting foreign junk-food makers

    “Despite growing evidence that the Westernization of the world’s diets has had ruinous affects on public health, India has one message for the Cokes, Pepsis, Hersheys and Cargills of the world: It is open for business.

    In November, the country will host a three-day, government-sponsored symposium aimed at getting the makers of Hot Pockets, Twizzlers and Lays potato chips to sell more of their goods into the Indian market. Ahead of that conference, which is the first of its kind, Indian officials have toured the United States and the European Union, pitching food-company chief executives on their country’s burgeoning middle class.

    Consumption of oils, fats, sugars and animal products have surged, according to India’s National Council of Applied Economic Research, and sales of packaged and processed foods have more than doubled since 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/03/obesity-is-not-an-issue-why-the-indian-government-is-courting-foreign-junk-food-makers/

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    Mute Eddie Michael
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    Apr 26th 2021, 7:18 PM

    Can we send Donnelly too….

    62
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    Mute seangolden1978
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    Apr 26th 2021, 5:40 PM

    Proud to be Irish ☘️

    37
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    Mute Dan Jacobson
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    Apr 26th 2021, 7:02 PM

    @seangolden1978: Well done. That must have been some effort to get that one out.

    13
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    Mute seangolden1978
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    Apr 26th 2021, 7:57 PM

    @Dan Jacobson: I’ve knocked out tougher ones over the years

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    Mute Dan Jacobson
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    Apr 26th 2021, 8:39 PM

    @seangolden1978: pmsl

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    Mute Bananaquit
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    Apr 26th 2021, 7:18 PM

    I hope the situation in India improves soon. Such unimaginable suffering.

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    Mute James Harbourne
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    Apr 26th 2021, 9:36 PM

    Send that donnelly fella aswell

    17
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Apr 26th 2021, 8:25 PM

    Glad to hear this, thanks to all involved in getting the devices out there quickly.

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    Mute Mary N. Cooke
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    Apr 26th 2021, 6:05 PM

    Good stuff

    11
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    Mute Declan Ryan
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    Apr 27th 2021, 8:40 AM

    Scratching my head to understand this. If 700 Oxygen Concentrators can be made this quickly, wondering how we didn’t make some for ourselves to assist more being available in our own hospitals. Might have meant we could have had additional critical care beds.

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    Mute Pat
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    Apr 27th 2021, 12:24 PM

    @Declan Ryan:

    How quickly will this aid be sent if being coordinated by the EU?

    https://mobile.twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1385520658373910529

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    Mute Aido
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    Apr 26th 2021, 4:54 PM

    700 very little

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    Mute Alan McArdle
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    Apr 26th 2021, 4:58 PM

    @Aido: it’s 700 more than none

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    Mute Brian Flavin
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    Apr 26th 2021, 6:46 PM

    @Aido: Ireland 700 & all together countries help maybe 5,000 to 10,000 To India and no surprise about Chinese haven’t help india

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    Mute Terri McCormick O'Gorman
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    Apr 26th 2021, 7:28 PM

    @Aido: It’s a start!! What have you done?

    5
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    Mute Ní neart go cur le chéile.
    Favourite Ní neart go cur le chéile.
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    Apr 26th 2021, 7:41 PM

    @Brian Flavin: well there is surprise for you, India have received first delivery of oxygen concentrators from hk already, and there will be 10,000 more in this week, China official is keeping in touch with India if they need any more help
    I was not surprised actually when I saw this news

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    Mute Paul Whitehead
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    Apr 26th 2021, 11:15 PM

    @Aido: what did you send?

    2
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