8 COVID-19 patients including doctor die at Delhi's Batra Hospital due to oxygen shortage

An official also said that they are trying to revive five other critical patients.

File Photo (Reuters)

New Delhi: The coronavirus situation in the national capital remained grim as eight COVID-19 patients including a doctor died at Delhi's Batra Hospital due to oxygen shortage on Saturday (May 1, 2021).

"We are trying to revive five other critical patients," PTI news agency quoted Dr SCL Gupta as saying.

Among those who died, one is a doctor of the Batra Hospital's Gastro Department Dr RK Himthani.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court said that hospitals should learn from their experiences regarding oxygen scarcity during the prevailing COVID-19 situation and set up plants for generating the life-saving gas.

"Oxygen plants are essential. It is irresponsible not to have them," the bench said.

"You (hospitals) should also learn from your experience and put up a plant," the court said while hearing several pleas with regard to the oxygen crisis and other COVID-19 related issues in Delhi.

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said for commercial considerations, some hospitals reduce capital expenditures on things like oxygen plants which are essential in a hospital, especially the big ones.

This is to be noted that the hospitals across the national capital have been sending out SOS messages for over two weeks now about the depleting supplies of oxygen. 

Meanwhile, Delhi reported 375 coronavirus-related deaths and 27,047 new cases on Friday. This is the ninth day on the trot that the national capital has witnessed over 300 COVID-19 deaths.

Delhi's total caseload has now increased to 11,49,333, of which, 99,361 are active cases while 16,147 have succumbed to the virus.

Delhi Health Bulletin - 30th April 2021 #DelhiFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/tZiJKOGrjl — CMO Delhi (@CMODelhi) April 30, 2021

(With inputs from agencies)