At least four patients in Covid-19 ward of Pabna General Hospital have died from the virus in the past 24 hours until Monday, allegedly due to a shortage of oxygen supply.

The deceased were identified as Rashida Begum, 70, Rokeya Khatun,70, Nure Alam,67, and Najmul Islam, 72.

 Meanwhile, acting assistant director of the hospital, Dr Saleh Mohammad Ali confirmed death of only three patients.

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The four people died in 24 hours until 12 pm Monday while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

“The hospital is seeing a crisis of oxygen as pressure of Covid patients increased in the last few days. Many had to arrange oxygen cylinders personally. As the oxygen supply was hampered these patients died,” said a senior doctor from the hospital to UNB who didn’t wish to be named.

Md Alamgir Hossain, son of deceased Rashida Begum said,” I admitted my mother around noon on Sunday with fever and breathing problems. I’ve requested the authorities almost ten times to arrange oxygen for my mother seeing the shortage at the hospital. Finally my mother breathed her last gasping for oxygen.”

“At least three more patients died in front of my eyes gasping for oxygen.” said Alamgir.

Meanwhile, Mamun Hossain, brother of a patient admitted in Covid ward complained that the hospital’s management and health services have broken down.

“My sister was admitted 12 days back, even as eleven days passed we still haven't received the Covid-19 test result yet. They might be keeping in this ward patients who have recovered”, he said.

Regarding the deaths, Dr Saleh Mohammad Ali said, “Most of the patients came at their last stage when there is little left to do for saving them anyway.”

Having no central oxygen supply system at the hospital, oxygen was being supplied through a manifold system to patients, which is not enough for the high number of patients and it created the crisis, he said.

Civil Surgeon of Pabna, Monisor Chowdhury said, 139 new people were infected with the virus in the last 24 hours.

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With this district’s death toll reached 28 while caseload stood at 5,341.

District’s infection rate is currently 21.35%, he said.