Mumbai: The number of Covid-19 patients is on the decline in Mumbai but the state is still struggling with surging cases. Every day around 67,000 new cases are detected while the number of active cases is 7,00,000. Out of these 10% of patients need oxygen. Going by the figures, the state still needs 1800 metric tonnes of oxygen daily, a senior Food and Drug Administration officer told ETV Bharat. There is already a shortage of 300 metric tonnes while the demand has increased by 300 metric tonnes within a week.
Every patient needs 12 litres oxygen per day
Every day 67000 cases are being detected. During the first wave, the requirement was 500 to 850 metric tonnes daily. But in the second wave, the demand has gone up as the number of patients increased alarmingly. The number of active patients is 7 lakh.
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So the daily requirement for the active patients at present is 1570 metric tonnes. The suspected Covid patients and non-Covid patients require 230 metric tonnes, thus a total of 1800 metric tonnes of oxygen is required. Every patient needs about 12 liters of oxygen daily. At present, there are 70,000 patients who need oxygen.
Shortage of 600 metric ton
The daily production of oxygen is 1200 metric tonnes in the state. For the medical purpose, the requirement was 350-400 metric tonnes before Covid-19. However, after Covid-19 the demand for oxygen for medical purposes rose to 850 metric tonnes. Now in the second wave, the demand has risen to 1800 metric tonnes.
But there is a shortage of 600 metric tonnes.
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Before Covid-19, 60 % of the total production of oxygen was used for medical purposes while 40 % was used for industrial purposes. However, since last year when the number of Covid-19 patients started rising the total supply was diverted for medical purposes. However now the state requires a total of 1800 metric tonnes and the challenge is to fulfill the shortage of 600 metric tonnes.
Industries to give a helping hand
The Food and Drug Administration officer who spoke to ETV Bharat said that they are doing everything to get the extra 600 metric tonnes of oxygen that is presently required for the state. The whole country is facing a similar challenge and therefore whom to approach for oxygen is the question that is worrying the administration and government.
Presently, the state is getting 200 metric tons of oxygen from Gujarat, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. The administration has also appealed to small production companies to help out.
Oxygen is used on a huge scale by steel companies. They have their own oxygen production plants. The government has approached these companies and asked them to increase production for the requirement of Covid-19 patients. Efforts are also being put in to restart oxygen production plants that were closed down.
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