JAIPUR: With more than 96,000 active Covid-19 cases and growing demand for medical oxygen, the state is facing an acute shortage of oxygen. While the daily requirement has rose to 250 metric tonnes, the state is only receiving 160 metric tonnes per day.
Following this, the government has sought the help of 25 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members to get more oxygen from the Centre.
According to health department officials, over 4,000 patients in the state are currently on oxygen support. The beds in all major hospitals are also fully occupied and patients are finding it difficult to find one for treatment.
On Wednesday, 62 persons died of Covid, while 14,622 others tested positive in the state, bringing the overall tally to 4,53,407. With 62 more deaths, the state’s toll rose to 3,330.
The number of active cases, both those undergoing treatment at hospitals or under home quarantine, rose to 96,366 for a jump of 12.6% in 24 hours. As active cases keep on increasing, the need for oxygen will rise to 325 metric tonnes by the end of the month.
The health department has asked the government for an immediate supply of 120 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen to meet the growing demand. Tankers with a capacity of carrying 100 and 200 metric tonnes have also been sought to transport oxygen. “As per our analysis of the past five days, the requirement for oxygen is growing by 10-12 metric tonnes daily with the increase in active cases. But in the national oxygen plan, the state has been allocated only 160 metric tonnes daily of liquid medical oxygen. This is not sufficient viewing the increasing number of patients,” said health minister Raghu Sharma.
Sharma also alleged that Inox oxygen plant, situated in Bhiwadi, was supplying oxygen in violation of the national oxygen plan tp other state. Currently, the plant is expected to supply 65 metric tonnes to Rajasthan, 40 to MP and 15 to Delhi. But he alleged that the company has supplied 25.57 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen to Haryana violating the national plan, and Delhi 22.86 metric tonnes against the quota of 15 metric tonnes.
The minister has written to 25 LS members and 10 RS members to demand more oxygen from the Centre.
Meanwhile, 18 persons died in Jodhpur on Thursday, taking its toll to 413, while eight died in Udaipur that took its toll to 198. Jaipur reported five deaths, taking its toll to 581, while Kota too saw five deaths that too its toll to 227. Bikaner reported three deaths (188), Jhalawar three (41), Barmer two (60), and Churu two (54) fatalities. Ajmer saw its 244th casualty, Bharatpur 124th, Pali 122nd, Sikar 113rd, Nagaur 111st, Alwar 89th, Rajsamand 64th, Jhunjhunu 59th , Jalore 59th, Churu 49th, Sriganganagar 45th, Banswara 45th, Dungarpur 44th, Tonk 40th, Baran 39th and Sawai Madhopur its 31st Covid death.
The districts which reported new cases are Jaipur (3,101), Jodhpur (1,523), Kota (1,121), Udaipur (1,101), Alwar (915), Bhilwara (659), Bikaner (603), Sirohi (601), Churu (428), Sawai Madhopur (402), Sikar (380), Ajmer (345), Dungarpur (301), Rajsamand (273), Dausa (272), Baran (265), Chittorgarh (214), Jhalawar (203), Banswara (201), Hanumangarh (199), Barmer (199), Dholpur (179), Pali (171), Tonk (134), Bharatpur (115), Sriganganagar (114), Nagaur (111), Karauli (108), Jalore (98), Bundi (81), Jhunjhunu (78), Jaisalmer (75) and Pratapgarh (52).
