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Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has expressed concern that the COVID-19 pandemic is on the rise in India. The Spanish international shared his thoughts on social media on Thursday.
The coronavirus pandemic halted football and day-to-day activities around the world at large when it hit early last year. The repercussions of the virus saw many top football clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid, lose financial solidity. While some countries have bounced back from the impact of COVID-19, India has not been so fortunate as the pandemic is still on the rise.
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, who was once sidelined with the virus, has now called the attention of the masses towards the unfortunate situation in India. He shared a UNICEF link on his Twitter page on Thursday, allowing people to give donations towards providing aid to the affected nation.
He tweeted:
"Deaths and infections continue to rise in India. UNICEF fears that India will become the country with the highest death rate among children under 5 in the world. They urgently need our help."
The coronavirus pandemic in India had previously abated last year, but a second wave hit the densely populated nation in recent weeks, which saw the country record 386,000 new cases. Another 3498 have died from COVID-19 related complications.
Ramos has also suffered from the coronavirus
Ramos has been sidelined with injury since the last international break and tested positive for COVID-19 during his spell away from the Real Madrid XI. He had to quarantine alone for ten days but has since recovered.
The central defender was absent from the Real Madrid team that held Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash last week. Ramos is, however, expected to recover early enough to feature in the second leg of the tie next Wednesday as he resumed first-team training.
Ramos' future at Real Madrid is still uncertain at this stage of the season. The Spaniard is yet to sign a new contract with the defending Spanish champions. Ramos' contract at Real Madrid expires in the summer, but it is expected that the 35-year-old will extend his contract before then. Real Madrid will want Sergio Ramos to inaugurate their new Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in 2022.
