Maharashtra Reports Over 67,000 Covid Cases, Highest Single-Day Surge; Healthcare System In Doldrums

The daily usage of oxygen in Maharashtra, which is the worst affected by the pandemic, has touched almost 1,500 metric tonnes.

(File Photo/ Getty)

Mumbai: With Maharashtra registering the highest single-day spike of 63,729 cases, the situation in the state looks grim with the hospitals struggling to attend to the patients due to scarcity of beds and oxygen support besides long queues witnessed outside crematoriums in certain cities.

The daily usage of oxygen in Maharashtra, which is the worst affected by the pandemic, has touched almost 1,500 metric tonnes and the state government is making all possible efforts to meet the daily demand against the production capacity of 1,200 metric tonnes.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday urged the Centre to allow transportation of oxygen by Railways from other states in an attempt to meet the rising demand following an exponential surge in Covid-19 cases.

Most hospitals in state capital Mumbai, which is witnessing a jump in infections, are out of ICU beds for Covid patients in the continuing second wave of the virus.

Besides, the workers in crematoriums and burial grounds are working overtime, especially in the last few days, to handle the increasing number of dead bodies. Maharashtra reported 419 deaths over the past 24 hours.

The state has so far discharged over 30 lakh Covid-19 patients after full recovery.