New Delhi, India Runs Out of Oxygen, Patient Deaths... COVID-19 New Deaths Also Hit Record High

Several Hospitals Face Oxygen Shortage Risk After a Few Hours
26,000 New Confirmed Cases

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] The capital of India, New Delhi, is heading toward the worst situation due to a rapid spread of COVID-19. Patients have died as medical oxygen necessary for critical care ran out, and the number of new deaths reached a record high.

According to local media such as The Times of India and The Hindu on the 23rd, Ganga Ram Hospital, one of the large hospitals in New Delhi, stated in a morning press release, "In the past 24 hours, 25 critically ill patients have died, and there is only enough oxygen left for two hours," adding, "The lives of another 60 patients are also at risk." About 500 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized at this hospital.

Earlier, around 5:30 p.m. the previous day, six hospitals in New Delhi, including Rathi Hospital, completely ran out of medical oxygen. BLK Hospital and other major hospitals only have enough oxygen left to last a few more hours. Oxygen is essential for COVID-19 critical patients as it is a means of survival. Many face life-threatening hypoxemia due to a rapid drop in blood oxygen levels.

Currently, not only oxygen but also intensive care beds in New Delhi are almost depleted. Max Hospital, one of India's largest private hospital chains, announced that it will not admit more patients until oxygen supply stabilizes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an emergency meeting with health officials and others the previous day to seek a nationwide oxygen supply plan. The government decided to urgently deploy industrial oxygen for medical use, and New Delhi authorities have requested emergency support from surrounding local governments, but supply is reportedly still not smooth. The oxygen shortage situation is also worsening in other major cities such as Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the daily new death toll from COVID-19 in New Delhi reached a record high of 306 (as of the afternoon of the 22nd). The number of critically ill patients has greatly increased as about 25,000 new confirmed cases have been reported daily. The previous day, 26,169 new infections were recorded in a single day. In particular, the positive rate compared to the number of tests exceeded 36% the previous day, showing a frightening spread.

The total number of new confirmed cases in India also recorded 314,835 the previous day (according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare), surpassing the previous world record held by the United States, and the explosive increase continues.