“Patients who were on ventilators at the hospital in Nashik have died,” Tope said in televised remarks.
“The leakage was spotted at the tank supplying oxygen to these patients. The interrupted supply could be linked to the deaths of the patients in the hospital.”
The world’s second most populous nation reported 295,041 new infections on Wednesday – the biggest daily rise reported in any country – stretching its hospitals to breaking point,officials said.
Only the United States had a slightly higher one-day rise of 297,430 cases in January,though its tally has since fallen sharply. India’s 2023 deaths were also its highest in the pandemic.
Adding to the sense of alarm,the Serum Institute of India,which manufactures the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine,said it will be able to raise its monthly output to 100 million doses by July from 60-70 million now,later than its previous timeline of the end of May.
The delay could slow India’s immunisation drive,which the government has opened for all adults from next month to try to stem the deadly second wave.