Alleged oxygen supply failure kills two COVID-19 patients in Vizianagaram
The death toll is likely to go up as high-pressure supply was disrupted in the hospital.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 26 April 2021 9:52 AM GMT
Vizianagaram: Two COVID-19 patients died due to technical issues at the Maharajah government hospital in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, in the wee hours of 26 April. It is being suspected that oxygen supply failure led to their deaths.
The death toll is likely to go up as high-pressure supply was disrupted in the hospital. The district administration and the hospital authorities are planning to move the patients to other hospitals.
Though there were reports that five people died in the hospital, Vizianagaram district collector M. Hari Jawaharlal said only two people had died but their deaths were not related to oxygen supply interruption.
Vizianagaram district medical and health officer S.V Ramana Kumari also confirmed that two patients had died after their condition deteriorated. "We are finding out what went wrong with the oxygen supply," she said, adding that the hospital has sufficient oxygen and is now moving all the patients to other hospitals.
The deceased are from Vizianagaram and surrounding areas. There were 290 COVID-19 patients in the hospital and 25 were on high-flow oxygen support.
Meanwhile, following the deaths, family members and relatives of patients are in a hurry to buy oxygen cylinders as they believe that oxygen shortage was the main cause for the mishap.
The district collector has assured that there is no shortage of oxygen in the hospital and said the hospital has received an oxygen tanker from Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and the oxygen supply has been restored.
