Oxygen crisis: 25 ‘sickest’ patients die at Delhi’s Ganga Ram Hospital; Max hospital halts admissions

Twenty-five "sickest" COVID-19 patients have died at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in the last 24 hours, and the lives of another 60 such patients are at risk, officials said on Friday amid a serious oxygen crisis unfolding in the national capital.

A source said "low pressure oxygen" could be the likely cause for the deaths.

"The oxygen stock will last another two hours. Ventilators and BiPAP machines are not working effectively," a senior official at the hospital said.

After Sir Ganga Ram hospital raised an alarm for oxygen shortage, a fresh consignment arrived at the hospital on Friday morning. A truck loaded with oxygen by INOX reached at the around 9.30 a.m. on Friday morning, the hospital authority said.

The hospital had received oxygen supply between 12.30 p.m. and 1 a.m. last night.

"Lives of another 60 'sickest' patients at risk. Major crisis likely," he said.

According to the official, hospital authorities are resorting to manual ventilation in ICUs and the emergency department.

After announcing that they would not be able to admit any patients due to shortage of Oxygen supplies, Max Healthcare group issued another SOS appeal that they had less than one hour’s Oxygen supplies at Max Smart Hospital and Max Hospital in south Delhi’s Saket. They said they were waiting for Oxygen supplies since 1 am.

Hospitals in Delhi have been facing Oxygen shortage for the last one week and have approached the Delhi High Court for help. The court ordered the Centre to provide medical oxygen to Delhi and ensure safe passage to oxygen without obstructions. "Beg, borrow or steal," said the judges, warning the centre that "all hell would break loose" if hospitals ran out of oxygen.

Delhi reported 26,169 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours; 306 deaths were reported on April 22. With a record single-day rise of 3,32,730 new coronavirus infections, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 1,62,63,695, while active cases crossed the 24-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

In the past three days, several hospitals have flagged a crisis of oxygen supply amid rising Coronavirus cases, and many have approached the Delhi High Court for help.