Thousands Given Fake COVID-19 Vaccines Filled With Saline in India: Officials

A medical worker inoculates a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel with a dose of the Covishield, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 coronavirus vaccine, at a civil hospital in Ajnala village, about 28 km from Amritsar on April 1, 2021, as India expanded its coronavirus vaccination drive to the 45-60 age group. Narinder Nanu/AFP

At least 14 people were arrested and an Indian private hospital was cordoned off by police amid an investigation into an alleged vaccination scam that may have affected thousands of people.

“They were using saline water and injecting it,” said Vishal Thakur, a senior official of the Mumbai police department, according to CNN. He was referring to the alleged scam.