Covid-19 patients gasping for breath as oxygen shortage cripples hospitals. Supply chain to blame
Covid-19 patients gasping for breath as oxygen shortage cripples hospitals. Supply chain to blame
Hospitals in several cities are facing an acute shortage of medical oxygen as Covid-19 cases rise rapidly. India is producing sufficient oxygen to meet the demand, but the problem lies in its supply
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UPDATED: April 22, 2021 22:43 IST
Family members of Covid-19 patients in Kanpur wait to fill their empty cylinders with medical oxygen outside an oxygen filling center, as demand for the gas rises due to spike in coronavirus cases. (Photo: PTI)
600% jump in oxygen demand from hospitals
During the first COVID-19 wave, the demand for liquid medical oxygen went up from 700 metric tonnes per day (MTPD) to 2,800 MTPD. But during the second wave, it has further skyrocketed to 5,000 MTPD
BusinessToday.In | April 21, 2021 | Updated 21:28 IST
The second wave of coronavirus infections has hit the country hard. Putting tremendous pressure on the nation s medical infrastructure, the latest surge in COVID-19 cases has driven up the demand for medical oxygen, a critical commodity in treating the respiratory ailment. The demand for oxygen in hospitals has reportedly gone up 600-800 per cent over the past few days.