CLEVELAND — The COVID-19 crisis in India continues to worsen and countries around the world are offering relief in the form of medical supplies and equipment.

This week, the Cleveland Clinic is working to send support and PPE.

What You Need To Know

  • India surpassed 21 million COVID-19 cases this week, according to Johns Hopkins University

  • Nearly 4,000 people are dying every day

  • The Cleveland Clinic is sending more than 115 pallets of personal protective equipment and hundreds of beds

In the U.S., medical experts said the nation is heading in the right direction with fewer COVID-19 cases and more vaccinations.

But across the world in India, it’s a much different story, and it’s a devastating one as the country’s second surge rages on.

“There is no end in sight. It seems that it is getting worse and worse each day," said Dr. Atul Mehta, a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic. 

India reached a grim milestone this week by surpassing 21 million COVID-19 cases and averaging more than 400,000 new cases per day, according to Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 4,000 people are dying every day in the world’s second most populous country of more than 1.3 billion people.

“I think this is going to affect us all,” said Mehta.

It’s personal for Mehta.

“I lost three close friends or relatives I can say in last 48 hours. In the prior 48 hours, three of my cousins were involved, were hospitalized with COVID. They got out of the hospital, but then the physician who was looking after them, she is now in the Intensive Care Unit with COVID," said Mehta.

He’s been at the Cleveland Clinic for 40 years, but grew up in India where many of his relatives still live.

Typically, Mehta visits his home country multiple times a year to give lectures and teach academic courses.

“We have lots of responsibilities here to help India," said Mehta.

Mehta said the sudden spike of cases in India is much worse than anything we've seen in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic, and several factors contributed to the current crisis.

“The first spike was short lived and the people were receiving vaccinations, and they thought that they were immune, and I think that they let their guards down too soon," said Mehta. “Lack of education and our infrastructure is not as strong as the U.S."

Now, everything is in short supply. The system is overwhelmed. 

"All the hospitals are full with patients with COVID. All the intensive care units are full with COVID. The country is running out of the oxygen supply," said Mehta. “Crematoriums are full. There is not enough wood left for cremation of the Hindus. You know, they had to close down many of the vaccination stations because there are not very many people giving vaccines out.”

All of this came to light about two weeks ago and immediately Mehta and a team of people at the Cleveland Clinic began working together to create a plan to help.

More than 115 pallets of personal protective equipment such as face masks, face shields, gloves and more than 400 beds will be sent to support Indian hospitals.

The items will be shipped to the Indian Red Cross Society.

“It is a humanitarian crisis and that’s what I’m trying to alleviate as best as we can," said Mehta.

So far this week, Cleveland Clinic employees have donated more than $60,000 toward this effort.

The hope is to send more shipments of critical supplies in the coming weeks.

If you’d like to help, you can donate at this link here.