As many as 12 critical patients suffering from Covid-19 lost their lives to the acute shortage of oxygen that ensued mayhem in the national capital.
The patients who were admitted to the ICU of Batra hospital in Mehrauli died on Saturday afternoon, with hospital authorities linking the casualties to shortage of oxygen. Among the deceased is the hospital’s gastroenteritis head Dr R K Himthani (62).
“These are patients whose Oxygen levels sunk when supply was low. And it’s hard to revive such patients later,” Dr Sudhanshu Bankata, Executive Director of the hospital.
He also informed that 220 patients are currently on Oxygen support in hospital. “Next 24-24 hours critical and the death toll could be higher,” Bankata warned.
Earlier in the day, the hospital had informed that eight patients died after the oxygen supply ran out there.
Dr SCL Gupta, the hospital’s medical director, told the media that eight patients have died while five others are in the process of resuscitation. “Eight Covid patients have been declared dead so far, while there are five others who are in the process of resuscitation. They are critical,” he said.
The hospital has 327 patients out of which 48 are in the critical care unit. It has been raising alarms since Saturday afternoon over depleting levels of oxygen supply. Around 12.30 pm, the hospital claimed it had run out of liquid medical oxygen supply. An oxygen tanker reached the hospital around 1.35 pm.
A week ago, 20 people admitted in the critical care unit of Jaipur Golden hospital in Rohini died when oxygen levels dropped. The hospital had, before the Delhi High Court, blamed the Delhi government for the delay in oxygen reaching them.