13 more Covid patients die at Goa hospital, 75 in 4 days

Thirteen more COVID-19 patients died at the Goa Medical College and Hospital in the early hours of Friday, a senior health department official said, taking to 75 the number of people who have succumbed at the government-run facility in Panaji in the last four days.

The horror at the GMCH is continuing even as the Goa bench of the Bombay high court is hearing petitions related to deaths during the "dark hours" at the premier hospital.

While the state government has not revealed the exact cause of recent deaths at the GMCH, it has told the HC that there were "logistic issues" related to supply of medical oxygen to patients.

On Thursday, Advocate General Devidas Pangam had told a bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Mahesh Sonak that there were logistical issues involved in maneuvering the tractor which carries the trolleys of oxygen and in connecting the cylinders to the manifold (group of large gas cylinders)."

The senior official confirmed that 13 more patients, admitted in various COVID-19wards in the GMCH, died during the wee hours of Friday.

The number of patients who have died during the "dark hours (between 2 am and 6 am) at the hospital has touched 75 in the last four days.

As per state government statistics, 26 patients had died at the GMCH during the wee hours of Tuesday, followed by 21 on Wednesday, 15 on Thursday and 13 on Friday (total 75).

The HC is hearing a bunch of petitions on recent death of COVID-19 patients at the GMCH allegedly due to lack of medical oxygen.

The Goa government had told the HC on Thursday that during the process of attaching the oxygen manifold there was some interruption, which results in fall of pressure in the supply lines of oxygen to patients."

"We were explained that during this process there was some interruption, which resulted in fall of pressure in the supply lines of oxygen to the patients.

"It was pointed out that it is basically on account of these factors some casualties may have taken place," the bench had said.

"We expect the state administration to find out ways and means to overcome these logistical issues so that precious life is not lost on account of any deficiencies in the matter of supply of oxygen to patients," the HC had said.

Reacting to the deaths, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai said the high court should "take over the affairs of the state as there is collapse of governance".