Eight corona virus patients, including a doctor, died in the Intensive Care Unit of Batra Hospital, a private health-hub situated in Mehrauli, South Delhi, on Saturday (May 1 afternoon) after it ran out of oxygen for over an hour. The condition of five others is said to be critical.
Among those who died includes Dr R K Hithani, 62, head of the gastroenterology department. He was also suffering from COVID-19.
According to sources the hospital ran out of oxygen at around 12:30 PM, but the tanker arrived at 1:35 PM.
Dr. Sudhanshu Bankata, Executive Director of Batra Hospital, said there are 230 patients on oxygen beds. He said that, around 12:30 PM the oxygen situation was “extremely critical” and the hospital is not being able to “support ventilated patients”.
Batra Hospital has been in the news for the past few days for oxygen shortage. Batra Hospital is one of those health-centres which had approached the Delhi High Court which heard the case for the eleventh consecutive day on Saturday. Later in the day, the Batra Hospital informed the court that the oxygen tanker had arrived at 1:35 PM.
More than 50 corona virus patients lost their lives when Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Jaipur Golden Hospital, both based in Delhi, ran short of oxygen last week.
Saturday’s tragedy took place just a day after Delhi’s Lt Governor Anil Baijal disclosed that he has been confirmed corona positive. He has isolated himself and is working from his residence.
In the last 24 hours, Delhi recorded 375 deaths which is only second to Maharashtra (828). Uttar Pradesh occupied the third place with 332 deaths.
