COVID-19: Man dies on wheelchair waiting for oxygen bed outside hospital in Mumbai

The COVID-19 situation in India has been deteriorating amid the second wave of coronavirus infections. For the past three days, the country has been reporting in excess of two lakh coronavirus infections and over 1,000 related deaths on a daily basis. India reported a spike of coronavirus cases with over 2,59,170 fresh infections and 1,761 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Amid the rising coronavirus cases, several states in the country are facing shortage of Remdesivir, oxygen, hospital beds. Maharashtra is one the worst affected states with highest number of covid cases. 

A 57 year old covid positive man in Khar, Mumbai lost his life as he couldn't get an oxygen bed. The man died on the wheelchair waiting for the bed at Bhabha Hospital in Bandra.

Shrikant Mhatre saw his 57-year-old father breathing his last. Mhatre said he saw the worst 6 hours of his life that he spent outside the hospital that had run out of oxygen. His father passed away at 2.30pm on Sunday, about four hours after they had set out in search of an oxygen bed.

On reaching Bhabha, the family was told the hospital had run out of oxygen since Friday and hence were not admitting any patients who may need it. "My dad was wearing the pulse oximeter on his finger. His saturation had dropped to 55%. We felt helpless and started making calls everywhere," Shrikant said. 

The family member made several calls to hospitals but everyone asked for a covid report which they didnt had. They also went to BKC jumbo centre where they were told that beds are alloted through the ward war rooms. 

Dr P Jadhav, superintendent of Bandra Bhabha, said they have had to shift patients since Friday for want of oxygen. “We have completely stopped admitting patients who require oxygen. This family was told to contact the ward war room and they would help them find a bed.”