At least 22 patients died Wednesday at a hospital in western India after an interruption in oxygen supply caused by a leaking tank, the health minister said, as an increase in coronavirus cases at the national level it absorbs gas supplies.
The incident in the city of Nashik, one of the hardest hit areas in India, came after the oxygen tank leaked, said Rajesh Tope, the health minister of Maharashtra, the richest state, where the city is located.
“Patients who had ventilators at Nashik Hospital have died,” Tope said in televised statements.
“The leaks were detected in the tank supplying oxygen to these patients. The interrupted supply could be related to the death of the patients in the hospital.”
The second most populous nation in the world reported 295,041 new infections on Wednesday, the largest daily increase recorded in any country, which extended its hospitals to the breaking point, officials said.
The United States alone had a slightly higher one-day rise of 297,430 cases in January, although its count has fallen sharply. The 2,023 deaths in India were also the highest in the pandemic.
In addition to the alarm, the Serum Institute of India, which manufactures the COVID-19 AstraZeneca (AZN.L) vaccine, said it will be able to raise its monthly production to 100 million doses in July 60 to 70 million now. later than its previous chronology of late May.
The delay could curb the momentum in India’s vaccination, which the government has opened to all adults from next month to try to curb the deadly second wave.
Hospitals in Delhi, the capital and elsewhere have warned that medical oxygen supplies being administered to seriously ill patients with COVIOD-19 are running out as cases get worse.
Max Healthcare, the largest private sector healthcare provider in Delhi and its suburbs, said some of its hospitals had barely two hours of oxygen left.
“Over the past few days, the hospital has faced serious difficulties in securing adequate and regular oxygen supplies,” it said in a statement.
“Currently, most hospitals in the network are working at dangerously low oxygen supply levels, which can lead to a very serious adverse incident for the patient,” Max said.
The television showed images of people with empty oxygen cylinders crowding into recharging facilities in the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, while shuffling to save affected relatives at the hospital.
The situation was so dire that some people had tried to loot an oil tanker, forcing authorities to tighten security, Haryana State Health Minister in the north said.
“As of now, I have ordered police protection for all oil tankers,” Anil Vij told Reuters partner ANI.
LOWER THE GUARD
Health experts said India had lowered its guard when the virus appeared to be under control during the winter, allowing for large gatherings such as weddings and festivals.
India is now facing a coronavirus “storm” that overwhelms its health system, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a national speech overnight, adding that authorities were working with states and private companies to supply oxygen with “speed and sensitivity.”
Modi confronts himself for having tackled full political rallies for the local elections and allowed a religious party to take place in which millions bathe a ritual in the Ganges River, considered sacred by Hindus.
So far India has administered about 130 million doses of vaccine, most of the world after the United States and China, but still small in relation to its population of 1.35 billion people (https: // tmsnrt. rs / 3tlH6Gq)
Vaccine doses have already been reduced in many states, although inoculations are currently restricted to front-line workers and those over 45 years of age.
(Global Vaccination Tracking: https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/vaccination-rollout-and-access/)
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