Following death of a few patients due to suspected low oxygen pressure at the Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Centre ICU, a probe is on after the civic authorities sought a report on the matter, official sources said on May 31.

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An official requesting anonymity said that the report will soon be submitted to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation. The matter involves the suspected deaths of nearly 10 patients over a fortnight in the hospital allegedly due to low oxygen pressure, which led to a furore among the doctors and paramedics. Around half a dozen patients succumbed in quick succession in barely two hours last week. They were seen gasping for breath, but before the staff or technicians could rush in to help, they breathed their last. Following the incidents which sent shockwaves in civic health circles, the hospital authorities held a high-level review meeting to pinpoint the possible lapses and prepare a report.

A BMC official said that all government hospitals are under severe stress due to shortage of doctors, nurses, and other staff since existing resources are diverted to battling coronavirus. In most hospitals, COVID-19 beds, ICUs and other facilities have been augmented without a corresponding increase in requisite medical and paramedical staff, putting a huge burden on the existing staff. The situation could worsen over the next few days with the onset of monsoon when Covid-19 cases are likely to increase, for which the state government has made arrangements for an additional 2.90 lakh beds and around 9,000 ICU beds. Maharashtra presently has 65,168 coronavirus patients, of which Mumbai accounts for 38,442. The state's death toll has reached 2,197, including 1,227 in the city.