As India struggles with a deadly second wave, the government's principal scientific advisor has said that a third wave is inevitable.

It's hard to imagine a situation worse than the one India is currently suffering. In the last week, 46 per cent of all global cases were recorded from India including 25 per cent of all deaths which is an increase of 20 per cent compared to the previous week.

India's caseload hasn't been reducing for two weeks with more than 300,000 new cases added every day. In the last 24 hours, over 382,000 tests came back positive and around the same number of people have recovered with more than 338,000 people discharged from hospitals.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-indias-covid-surge-a-third-wave-is-inevitable-383081">Watch |</a>

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At least 17 million people have recovered since last year. India now has around 3.5 million active cases and the highest single-day death toll so far - 3,780 deaths reported on Tuesday.

A third wave is inevitable, K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific advisor to the government of India has warned. Raghavan has made three big statements.

Firstly, "a third wave is inevitable" because the virus is circulating at a high level and as it continues to mutate and evolve, it leaves the door open for a third wave.

K Vijay Raghavan said it is not clear when India will see the third wave but added that the country should still prepare for it.

Secondly, vaccines are still effective against the variants in circulation right now, so getting a jab is important. Also, watch out for the mutations, Raghavan added, which is a new challenge. The virus will keep mutating and there will be variants of all kinds - strong and weak.&nbsp;India needs to map and study them.

So as India prepares for an uncertain future, it must also deal with a grim present.

The challenges seem endless. Black marketing of drugs has begun on a large scale as cases have exploded and supplies have run out. From oxygen supplies to Remdesivir injections, everything is being sold in black at elevated prices.

As people run from pillar to post to arrange beds, VVIPS remain lodged in hospitals just for fever. A major government hospital in Delhi didn't admit members of its own staff after doctors and nurses tested positive despite having 35 VIP nursing home rooms.

Even after a month into the second wave, India is struggling to ensure a steady supply to hospitals.&nbsp;

The desperate are turning to the black market and only the rich can afford it. One oxygen cylinder usually costs anywhere between $81 to $135 in the black market, that is 6,000 to 10,000 rupees. Going by one estimate, the same cylinder is now being sold for as much as $1,300, that's 100,000 Indian rupees.

These horror stories are not limited to India. Greed and corruption are not unique to any country. In Indonesia, a company recycled used cotton swabs for Wuhan virus tests. Last week,&nbsp;&nbsp;five workers of the firm were arrested.

They had acquired used swabs and washed and re-packed them. These swabs were later shipped off to the third largest airport in Indonesia. Reports say it could have affected 9,000 travellers since December.

As India struggles with a deadly second wave, the government's principal scientific advisor has said that a third wave is inevitable. It's hard to imagine a situation worse than the one India is currently suffering.

As India struggles with a deadly second wave, the government's principal scientific advisor has said that a third wave is inevitable. It's hard to imagine a situation worse than the one India is currently suffering. In the last week, 46 per cent of all global cases were recorded from India including 25 per cent of all deaths which is an increase of 20 per cent compared to the previous week. India's caseload hasn't been reducing for two weeks with more than 300,000 new cases added every day. In the last 24 hours, over 382,000 tests came back positive and around the same number of people have recovered with more than 338,000 people discharged from hospitals. Watch | At least 17 million people have recovered since last year. India now has around 3.5 million active cases and the highest single-day death toll so far - 3,780 deaths reported on Tuesday. A third wave is inevitable, K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific advisor to the government of India has warned. Raghavan has made three big statements. Firstly, "a third wave is inevitable" because the virus is circulating at a high level and as it continues to mutate and evolve, it leaves the door open for a third wave. K Vijay Raghavan said it is not clear when India will see the third wave but added that the country should still prepare for it. Secondly, vaccines are still effective against the variants in circulation right now, so getting a jab is important. Also, watch out for the mutations, Raghavan added, which is a new challenge. The virus will keep mutating and there will be variants of all kinds - strong and weak. India needs to map and study them. So as India prepares for an uncertain future, it must also deal with a grim present. The challenges seem endless. Black marketing of drugs has begun on a large scale as cases have exploded and supplies have run out. From oxygen supplies to Remdesivir injections, everything is being sold in black at elevated prices. As people run from pillar to post to arrange beds, VVIPS remain lodged in hospitals just for fever. A major government hospital in Delhi didn't admit members of its own staff after doctors and nurses tested positive despite having 35 VIP nursing home rooms. Even after a month into the second wave, India is struggling to ensure a steady supply to hospitals. The desperate are turning to the black market and only the rich can afford it. One oxygen cylinder usually costs anywhere between $81 to $135 in the black market, that is 6,000 to 10,000 rupees. Going by one estimate, the same cylinder is now being sold for as much as $1,300, that's 100,000 Indian rupees. These horror stories are not limited to India. Greed and corruption are not unique to any country. In Indonesia, a company recycled used cotton swabs for Wuhan virus tests. Last week, five workers of the firm were arrested. They had acquired used swabs and washed and re-packed them. These swabs were later shipped off to the third largest airport in Indonesia. Reports say it could have affected 9,000 travellers since December.

As India battles second wave, third wave is inevitable, says government expert

At a time when there is&nbsp;a huge surge in cases of COVID-19 patients across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the valley hospitals are reeling under tremendous pressure.

Srinagar administration with the help of a charity group has converted the&nbsp;Hajj house in&nbsp;Kashmir into a hundred bed&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;hospital.&nbsp;

''We have established a 100-bed facility in collaboration with the state administration, we have 28 high flow beds available, 72 beds with oxygen supply. We have a target to create at least 200 bed facility here. We have JVC hospital close by and we have already tied up with them,'' Bashir Nadvi,&nbsp;Chairman Athrout, Charity Group

The charity group is also helping people with medical equipment at home. They are providing oxygen concentrators, mini ventilators, and oxymeters to coronavirus positive patients.&nbsp;

''We have around 350 oxygen concentrators and all are with patients at the moment in their homes. We also have mini ventilators, bipap,cpap and pulse oximeters and all have been distributed to people in need at the moment. We are getting more stuff. We will be providing more oximeters to people in need,'' said&nbsp;Bashir Nadvi,&nbsp;Chairman Athrout, Charity Group

Jammu and Kashmir reported more than 4,716 COVID-19&nbsp;cases on Wednesday while 3,198 originated from the Kashmir region, Jammu reported 1,518 coronavirus&nbsp;cases.

The government said that 52 people died on Wednesday due to virus&nbsp;related issues in the Union Territory.

At a time when there is a huge surge in cases of COVID-19 patients across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the valley hospitals are reeling under tremendous pressure.

At a time when there is a huge surge in cases of COVID-19 patients across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the valley hospitals are reeling under tremendous pressure. Srinagar administration with the help of a charity group has converted the Hajj house in Kashmir into a hundred bed Covid hospital. ''We have established a 100-bed facility in collaboration with the state administration, we have 28 high flow beds available, 72 beds with oxygen supply. We have a target to create at least 200 bed facility here. We have JVC hospital close by and we have already tied up with them,'' Bashir Nadvi, Chairman Athrout, Charity Group The charity group is also helping people with medical equipment at home. They are providing oxygen concentrators, mini ventilators, and oxymeters to coronavirus positive patients. ''We have around 350 oxygen concentrators and all are with patients at the moment in their homes. We also have mini ventilators, bipap,cpap and pulse oximeters and all have been distributed to people in need at the moment. We are getting more stuff. We will be providing more oximeters to people in need,'' said Bashir Nadvi, Chairman Athrout, Charity Group Jammu and Kashmir reported more than 4,716 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday while 3,198 originated from the Kashmir region, Jammu reported 1,518 coronavirus cases. The government said that 52 people died on Wednesday due to virus related issues in the Union Territory.

Hajj house in Kashmir converted into coronavirus hospital

India on Monday received shipment of oxygen production plant and twenty ventilators from Italy amid the pandemic in the country which has hit the country hard with the shortage of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/natco-gets-cdsco-nod-for-emergency-use-of-baricitinib-tablets-for-covid-19-treatment-382479"> oxygen</a> equipment in the country.

Watch:

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"We value the support from our important EU partner, Italy. Will help augment our oxygen capacities," India's external affairs ministry said in a statement, adding, "taking forward our warm and multifaceted relationship."

Earlier, the fourth consignment of medical supplies containing 60 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/worst-is-yet-to-come-says-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-on-indias-covid-crisis-382532">ventilators</a> had arrived from the UK as the external affairs ministry thanked the "strategic partner and friend for the support."

The Indian Air Force&nbsp;(IAF) had said on Sunday that C-17s have airlifted four <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-entry-in-punjab-without-negative-covid-19-test-or-vaccination-certificate-382418">cryogenic</a> oxygen containers from Frankfurt in Germany to Hindon airbase in Delhi including 450 oxygen cylinders from Brize Norton in the UK to the Chennai airbase in Tamil Nadu.

On Sunday, a flight carrying 125,000 vials of antiviral drug Remdesivir had arrived at Delhi airport from the United States.

The US embassy in New Delhi in a statement said: "The American people stand united with India in the fight against COVID-19. Today, 125,000 vials of the antiviral drug Remdesivir arrived from the US -the fourth relief shipment- and there are more life-saving supplies on the way."

In a statement, Janez Lenarčič, said: "I am proud to say EU member states are providing further substantial help in a Team Europe effort to show our solidarity with our Indian friends."

"Collective action is the only solution if we want to win our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," he added.

The ambassador of the European Union to India and Bhutan, Ugo Astuto had said earlier that "more aeroplanes have arrived from France, Germany &amp; Belgium with urgently needed oxygen, equipment and&nbsp;medicines. Team Europe is pooling resources &amp; mobilizing support in solidarity with India."

Medical supplies had also arrived from Germany, Romania, Belgium and France through the EUCivPro mechanism.&nbsp;

India on Monday received shipment of oxygen production plant and twenty ventilators from Italy amid the pandemic in the country which has hit the country hard with the shortage of oxygen equipment in the country.

India on Monday received shipment of oxygen production plant and twenty ventilators from Italy amid the pandemic in the country which has hit the country hard with the shortage of oxygen equipment in the country. Watch: "We value the support from our important EU partner, Italy. Will help augment our oxygen capacities," India's external affairs ministry said in a statement, adding, "taking forward our warm and multifaceted relationship." Earlier, the fourth consignment of medical supplies containing 60 ventilators had arrived from the UK as the external affairs ministry thanked the "strategic partner and friend for the support." The Indian Air Force (IAF) had said on Sunday that C-17s have airlifted four cryogenic oxygen containers from Frankfurt in Germany to Hindon airbase in Delhi including 450 oxygen cylinders from Brize Norton in the UK to the Chennai airbase in Tamil Nadu. On Sunday, a flight carrying 125,000 vials of antiviral drug Remdesivir had arrived at Delhi airport from the United States. The US embassy in New Delhi in a statement said: "The American people stand united with India in the fight against COVID-19. Today, 125,000 vials of the antiviral drug Remdesivir arrived from the US -the fourth relief shipment- and there are more life-saving supplies on the way." In a statement, Janez Lenarčič, said: "I am proud to say EU member states are providing further substantial help in a Team Europe effort to show our solidarity with our Indian friends." "Collective action is the only solution if we want to win our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," he added. The ambassador of the European Union to India and Bhutan, Ugo Astuto had said earlier that "more aeroplanes have arrived from France, Germany & Belgium with urgently needed oxygen, equipment and medicines. Team Europe is pooling resources & mobilizing support in solidarity with India." Medical supplies had also arrived from Germany, Romania, Belgium and France through the EUCivPro mechanism.

Covid aid to India: Oxygen production plant, 20 ventilators arrive from Italy