A probe committee formed to investigate Thursday's incident at Satkhira Medical College that saw 7 Covid patients die allegedly due to a crisis in the hospital's central oxygen supply, has been granted more time to submit the report on Sunday.

Dr Kazi Arif Ahmed, head of the hospital’s medicine department and leader of  the probe committee, said, as Friday and Saturday were government holidays, the committee has asked to extend the deadline for a week from earlier ordered three days to conduct the investigation properly.

On Thursday evening, a sudden decrease in the central oxygen flow of the hospital allegedly caused the deaths of seven patients.

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However, the hospital authority admitted only four deaths.

Meanwhile, two probe committees have been formed to investigate the incident, one by the hospital authority led by Dr Kazi Arif Ahmed and another by the divisional health office director Dr Rasheda Sultana.

Administrator of the hospital Dr Qudrat-E-Khuda said the probe committee has been granted a week more to submit the report, so now both the committees have seven days for investigating.

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The committee from the divisional office already visited the hospital Sunday and started their probe, he said.

Dr Kazi Arif Ahmed said,"We have collected written statements of the administrator, principal and 22 health officials present at the hospital that day.”

“The actual cause of deaths will be confirmed after completing the overall investigation,” he said.