The poor, the rich: In a sick India, all are on their own

When the pandemic exploded in India in early April, with the government left unprepared and medical system quickly on the verge of collapse, millions of families found themselves faced with a new reality: They would have to keep their relatives alive

NEW DELHI -- For the family of the retired diplomat, the terror struck as they tried desperately to get him past the entrance doors of a private hospital. One family in a nation of 1.3 billion. One case of COVID-19 in a country facing an unparalleled surge, with more than 200,000 people testing positive every day. But when the pandemic exploded here in early April, the Amrohis found themselves struggling to keep one relative alive as the medical system neared collapse and the government was left unprepared. It’s the way now across India: Families scour cities for coronavirus tests, medicine, ambulances, oxygen and hospital beds. When none of that works, some have to deal with loved ones zippered into body bags.