Panel to monitor use of medical oxygen at patient level in Bengal

State registers 20,839 new cases of COVID-19 infections and 129 deaths.

West Bengal on Thursday registered 20,839 cases of COVID-19 infections and 129 deaths. The number of samples tested in the past 24 hours for the first time exceeded 70,000 (70,473). The number of active cases has increased to 1,28,684. Kolkata and North 24 Parganas have recorded the highest number of infections and deaths. Kolkata registered the highest number of deaths in the past 24 hours — 44. The Health Department has issued a number of advisories including setting up a monitoring committee on supply, delivery and use of medical oxygen at the patient level. While the authorities have said there is no dearth of oxygen, these advisories are for its judicious use. Also, to prioritise hospital beds for patients with serious conditions, the government has also come up with community-level isolation units. The department has called for priority collection of RT-PCR testing samples to report clinically unstable patients for medical intervention. In a number of State-run hospitals particularly in North 24 Parganas district, there were instances of people waiting for hours for the second dose and then being turned away. The long wait is resulting in scuffles among patients at certain private hospitals too.