With 386,452 new cases, India now has reported more than 18.7 million since the pandemic began, second only to the United States.

The Health Ministry on Friday also reported 3,498 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 208,330.

Experts believe both figures are an undercount, but it is unclear by how much.

Battling to find hospital beds, distraught people are flooding social media and messaging apps with heartbreaking pleas for oxygen, medicines and room in intensive care units.

India's army chief M.M. Naravane said the sick can approach their nearest army hospitals for help.

Troops were also assisting with imported oxygen tankers and vehicles where specialised skills are required, a government statement said.

India has set a daily global record for more than a week with an average of nearly 350,000 infections.

Daily deaths have nearly tripled in the past three weeks, reflecting the intensity of the latest surge.

Experts have blamed the surge on new, more contagious virus variants and mass public gatherings such as political rallies and religious events that were allowed to continue.

On Thursday, millions voted in state elections in West Bengal with little or no regard to social distancing.

India plans to step up a faltering vaccination drive by allowing all adults 18 and older to get their jabs from Saturday.

It has so far administered 150 million vaccine doses, according to the health ministry.

Since January, nearly 10 per cent of Indians have received one dose, but only around 1.5 per cent have received both, though India is one of the world's biggest producers of vaccines.

Health minister Harash Vardhan expressed hope that assistance being sent by over 40 countries will plug the shortage in medical supplies.

The UK government has said it will send an additional 1,000 ventilators to India in addition to the 200 ventilators, 495 oxygen concentrators and three oxygen generation units the UK said it was sending to India last week.

Private fundraising efforts are also taking place throughout Britain, where 1.4 million people have Indian roots.

The United States is sending more than 100 million US dollars worth of items, including 1,000 oxygen cylinders, 15 million N95 masks and one million rapid diagnostic tests.

Japan will send 300 ventilators and 300 oxygen concentrators in response to the Indian government request.

France, Germany, Ireland and Australia have also promised help, and Russia sent two aircraft carrying oxygen generating equipment.

The Indian air force also airlifted oxygen containers from Singapore, Dubai and Bangkok.

Meanwhile the US top trade negotiator will begin talks with the World Trade Organisation on ways to overcome intellectual property issues that are keeping critically needed Covid-19 vaccines from being more widely distributed worldwide, two White House officials said on Sunday.

And Saudi Arabia will lift its suspension on citizens travelling abroad and open land, sea and air borders on May 17, the interior ministry said on Sunday.

Saudi citizens who have received two vaccination shots, or one shot at least two weeks prior to travel, those who have recovered from coronavirus within the last six months and those who are under 18 years old will be allowed to travel, the ministry said on Sunday.

Saudi citizens have largely been barred from travel since March 2020, when the kingdom first banned all travel in and out of the country as Covid-19 began spreading worldwide.

Australian Associated Press