The Delhi High Court directed the Centre government to show cause why contempt not be initiated against it for failing to comply with order on supply of oxygen to the state for treating COVID-19 patients.

Delhi High Court asks Centre why it should not face contempt for failing to supply oxygen

Part two&nbsp;of the France solidarity mission to India of sending anti-Covid assistance will begin at the end of May. Under this, a&nbsp;second air shipment of medical equipment and oxygen generator plants will be sent to New Delhi.

France is also going to send liquid oxygen from French company Air Liquide's plants in the region to India via sea including with help of&nbsp;Indian armed forces.&nbsp;The first shipment of liquid O2 will arrive in the coming days.

Informed sources told WION that the Indian Airforce might also be involved in getting supplies from France.&nbsp;Indian Air force is already playing a key role and in the last few days airlifted 900 empty Oxygen cylinders from the UK, four&nbsp;cryogenic oxygen containers from Perth, Australia.

As a part of its&nbsp;solidarity mission, France had&nbsp;sent eight&nbsp;medical oxygen generators last week. Each generator can make an Indian hospital autonomous in oxygen supply for approximately 10 years. The country also sent specialised medical equipment&nbsp;including 28 ventilators as well as 200 electric syringe pumps.

France is supporting India&nbsp;under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (MPCU). Under the mechanism, more than 15&nbsp;members of the European Union are sending assistance to New Delhi.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the European Commission has announced that it will allocate an initial €2.2 million in emergency funding to respond to the ongoing Covid crisis in India.

"We are providing additional EU support towards the fight against COVID-19 in India. This comes on top of the generous and swift assistance from the EU Member States that stepped up as part of Team Europe to offer critical supplies of oxygen, ventilators, and medicines over the last few days", said European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič.

EU member states that have already mobilised supplies of urgently needed oxygen, ventilators, and medicines are Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden.

Part two of the France solidarity mission to India of sending anti-Covid assistance will begin at the end of May. Under this, a second air shipment of medical equipment and oxygen generator plants will be sent to New Delhi.

Part two of the France solidarity mission to India of sending anti-Covid assistance will begin at the end of May. Under this, a second air shipment of medical equipment and oxygen generator plants will be sent to New Delhi. France is also going to send liquid oxygen from French company Air Liquide's plants in the region to India via sea including with help of Indian armed forces. The first shipment of liquid O2 will arrive in the coming days. Informed sources told WION that the Indian Airforce might also be involved in getting supplies from France. Indian Air force is already playing a key role and in the last few days airlifted 900 empty Oxygen cylinders from the UK, four cryogenic oxygen containers from Perth, Australia. As a part of its solidarity mission, France had sent eight medical oxygen generators last week. Each generator can make an Indian hospital autonomous in oxygen supply for approximately 10 years. The country also sent specialised medical equipment including 28 ventilators as well as 200 electric syringe pumps. France is supporting India under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (MPCU). Under the mechanism, more than 15 members of the European Union are sending assistance to New Delhi. Meanwhile, the European Commission has announced that it will allocate an initial €2.2 million in emergency funding to respond to the ongoing Covid crisis in India. "We are providing additional EU support towards the fight against COVID-19 in India. This comes on top of the generous and swift assistance from the EU Member States that stepped up as part of Team Europe to offer critical supplies of oxygen, ventilators, and medicines over the last few days", said European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič. EU member states that have already mobilised supplies of urgently needed oxygen, ventilators, and medicines are Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden.

Covid crisis: France to begin phase two of solidarity mission; EU announces €2.2m support

The Supreme Court Wednesday stayed contempt proceedings initiated by the Delhi High Court against central government officials for non-compliance of the direction to supply 700 MT of medical grade oxygen for COVID-19 patients in the national capital.

The stay, however, will not restrain the high court from monitoring the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> management-related issues, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah said.

The top court, in an urgent hearing, directed that a meeting be held between officials of the Centre and Delhi government by this evening to discuss various aspects of augmenting the oxygen supply to the national capital.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-crisis-over-180-cryogenic-oxygen-containers-transported-by-indian-air-force-382829">COVID-19 crisis: Over 180 cryogenic oxygen containers transported by Indian Air Force</a>

This is an all-India pandemic situation and we will have to find ways to ensure oxygen supply to the national capital as we are answerable to people of Delhi, it said.

"We are also in Delhi. We are helpless and have been on phone. We can imagine what citizens are going through," Justice Chandrachud said, adding that his office is hearing cries from people including lawyers seeking help.

The top court said it cannot review its order of April 30 and the Centre will have to inch towards the supply of 700 MT of oxygen daily for Delhi and asked the Union government to place before it a plan by Thursday morning as to how it will revamp the supply to 700MT.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-accounts-for-46-per-cent-of-worlds-new-covid-19-cases-quarter-of-deaths-who-382992">India accounts for 46 per cent of world's new COVID-19 cases, quarter of deaths: WHO</a>

It suggested that a committee of experts and doctors including those from the private sector may be constituted to ascertain the situation in Delhi and take into account the COVID-19 situation which had been prevailing in Mumbai.

The top court, in a nearly two-hour hearing, said that putting officers in jail is not going to bring oxygen to Delhi and questioned the Centre about the supply it has made to the national capital since May 3.

The bench said, "Let us ensure lives are saved" and by enhancing supply of around 150MT per day the quantity will come up to 700MT and number of lives will be saved.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/11-patients-die-at-government-hospital-in-chennai-probe-ordered-382886">11 patients die at government hospital in Chennai, probe ordered</a>

It was hearing the Centre's appeal against Delhi High Court's Tuesday order of issuing contempt notice and seeking personal appearance of its officials for non-compliance with the directions on supply of oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients.

The bench aid that it had ordered supply of 700 MT oxygen to Delhi daily from May 3 as the "pandemic in Delhi is at a very critical stage".

"Putting officers in jail is not going to bring oxygen to the city, let us ensure lives are saved," said the bench which also comprised justice MR Shah.

"This is not adversarial litigation. Centre, Delhi governments are elected and doing their best to serve COVID-19 patients,"&nbsp;Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.

"Tell us how much oxygen you have allocated to Delhi in the last three days," the bench said.

The Supreme Court Wednesday stayed contempt proceedings initiated by the Delhi High Court against central government officials for non-compliance of the direction to supply 700 MT of medical grade oxygen for COVID-19 patients in the national capital.

The Supreme Court Wednesday stayed contempt proceedings initiated by the Delhi High Court against central government officials for non-compliance of the direction to supply 700 MT of medical grade oxygen for COVID-19 patients in the national capital. The stay, however, will not restrain the high court from monitoring the COVID-19 management-related issues, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah said. The top court, in an urgent hearing, directed that a meeting be held between officials of the Centre and Delhi government by this evening to discuss various aspects of augmenting the oxygen supply to the national capital. Also read | COVID-19 crisis: Over 180 cryogenic oxygen containers transported by Indian Air Force This is an all-India pandemic situation and we will have to find ways to ensure oxygen supply to the national capital as we are answerable to people of Delhi, it said. "We are also in Delhi. We are helpless and have been on phone. We can imagine what citizens are going through," Justice Chandrachud said, adding that his office is hearing cries from people including lawyers seeking help. The top court said it cannot review its order of April 30 and the Centre will have to inch towards the supply of 700 MT of oxygen daily for Delhi and asked the Union government to place before it a plan by Thursday morning as to how it will revamp the supply to 700MT. Also read | India accounts for 46 per cent of world's new COVID-19 cases, quarter of deaths: WHO It suggested that a committee of experts and doctors including those from the private sector may be constituted to ascertain the situation in Delhi and take into account the COVID-19 situation which had been prevailing in Mumbai. The top court, in a nearly two-hour hearing, said that putting officers in jail is not going to bring oxygen to Delhi and questioned the Centre about the supply it has made to the national capital since May 3. The bench said, "Let us ensure lives are saved" and by enhancing supply of around 150MT per day the quantity will come up to 700MT and number of lives will be saved. Also read | 11 patients die at government hospital in Chennai, probe ordered It was hearing the Centre's appeal against Delhi High Court's Tuesday order of issuing contempt notice and seeking personal appearance of its officials for non-compliance with the directions on supply of oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients. The bench aid that it had ordered supply of 700 MT oxygen to Delhi daily from May 3 as the "pandemic in Delhi is at a very critical stage". "Putting officers in jail is not going to bring oxygen to the city, let us ensure lives are saved," said the bench which also comprised justice MR Shah. "This is not adversarial litigation. Centre, Delhi governments are elected and doing their best to serve COVID-19 patients," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said. "Tell us how much oxygen you have allocated to Delhi in the last three days," the bench said.

SC stays Delhi HC order on contempt proceedings against Centre's officials over oxygen supply

As India fights a massive second wave of Covid pandemic with medical oxygen in short supply, an alumni group from Singapore's prominent universities has launched a crowdfunding initiative to source oxygen concentrators for India from overseas suppliers.

Each oxygen concentrator costs about $800 and can save more than 40 lives. The group has already achieved 78 per cent of its $150,000 goal&nbsp;till now.

The group behind the Singapore Universities Mission Oxygen (SUMO) drive includes former students of the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Singapore Management University (SMU) as well as Anoj Viswanathan, the founder of Milaap, a crowdfunding <a href="www.milaap.org">website.</a>
<img alt="Members of the SUMO group" data-caption="Members of the SUMO group" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5b3b7f1f-d754-4f30-8992-7e0c38e1945d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Members%20of%20the%20SUMO%20group.jpg" />
The oxygen concentrators bought through the initiative will be given to two organisations , CEL and Mission Mercy, which are working on the ground to help COVID-19 patients struggling to get access to medical oxygen.

The concentrators will be set up in the community health centres to provide care to patients locally by Community Empowerment Lab (CEL), the winners of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Award 2014.&nbsp; CEL is&nbsp;led by NTU alumna Aarti Kumar and John Hopkins University-educated doctor Vishwajeet.&nbsp;

Besides oxygen concentrators, the Mercy&nbsp;Mission will also be providing ambulance teams of paramedical staff and trained volunteers to help the patients while they are being transported to hospitals.

Since its establishment, Mercy Mission has been receiving an average of more than 2,000 calls on their helpline.

Being a crowdfunded mission, the group is welcoming donations from citizens wanting to in these challenging times. Donations for this initiative can be made <a href="https://milaap.org/fundraisers/SUMO?utm_source=shorturl">here.</a>

&nbsp;

As India fights a massive second wave of Covid pandemic with medical oxygen in short supply, an alumni group from Singapore's prominent universities has launched a crowdfunding initiative to source oxygen concentrators for India from overseas suppliers.

As India fights a massive second wave of Covid pandemic with medical oxygen in short supply, an alumni group from Singapore's prominent universities has launched a crowdfunding initiative to source oxygen concentrators for India from overseas suppliers. Each oxygen concentrator costs about $800 and can save more than 40 lives. The group has already achieved 78 per cent of its $150,000 goal till now. The group behind the Singapore Universities Mission Oxygen (SUMO) drive includes former students of the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Singapore Management University (SMU) as well as Anoj Viswanathan, the founder of Milaap, a crowdfunding website. The oxygen concentrators bought through the initiative will be given to two organisations , CEL and Mission Mercy, which are working on the ground to help COVID-19 patients struggling to get access to medical oxygen. The concentrators will be set up in the community health centres to provide care to patients locally by Community Empowerment Lab (CEL), the winners of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Award 2014. CEL is led by NTU alumna Aarti Kumar and John Hopkins University-educated doctor Vishwajeet. Besides oxygen concentrators, the Mercy Mission will also be providing ambulance teams of paramedical staff and trained volunteers to help the patients while they are being transported to hospitals. Since its establishment, Mercy Mission has been receiving an average of more than 2,000 calls on their helpline. Being a crowdfunded mission, the group is welcoming donations from citizens wanting to in these challenging times. Donations for this initiative can be made here.

COVID-19: Alumni of Singapore universities launch crowdfunding drive for oxygen concentrators to India

A shipment carrying two oxygen generators, 548 oxygen concentrators, 365 ventilators and other medical equipment arrived here on Tuesday from Ireland to provide support in India`s fight against the second COVID-19 surge. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, it is the second shipment of medical aid from Ireland.

The ministry said it is grateful to Ireland, a European Union member, for the support which will help add to India`s oxygen capacities. "Further strengthening our cooperation. 2nd shipment from Ireland carrying 2 oxygen generators, 548 oxygen concentrators, 365 ventilators and other medical equipment arrives. Deeply grateful to our EU partner for the support which will help add to our oxygen capacities," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

A few days back, the first shipment from Ireland containing 700 units of oxygen concentrators and 365 ventilators arrived here. Reeling under the impact of the deadly COVID-19 wave, India reported 3,57,229 new COVID-19 cases, 3,20,289 discharges, and 3,449 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry`s data on Tuesday.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 2,02,82,833.The worsening COVID-19 situation in India has seen a surge in the demand for medical oxygen and beds for the COVID-19 patients.

Several countries around the world have come forward to help India as it continues to struggle with the increase in its health infrastructure needs caused by the rising coronavirus cases.The member states of the European Union are delivering medical aid following India`s request for support as the country has witnessed a record surge in COVID-19 cases in the second wave of the pandemic.

The aid is being provided through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which is coordinated by the Emergency Response Coordination Centre of the European Commission.Several countries like Romania, Italy, Germany, France and Belgium have already sent in the supplies.

A shipment carrying two oxygen generators, 548 oxygen concentrators, 365 ventilators and other medical equipment arrived here on Tuesday from Ireland to provide support in India`s fight against the second COVID-19 surge.

A shipment carrying two oxygen generators, 548 oxygen concentrators, 365 ventilators and other medical equipment arrived here on Tuesday from Ireland to provide support in India`s fight against the second COVID-19 surge. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, it is the second shipment of medical aid from Ireland. The ministry said it is grateful to Ireland, a European Union member, for the support which will help add to India`s oxygen capacities. "Further strengthening our cooperation. 2nd shipment from Ireland carrying 2 oxygen generators, 548 oxygen concentrators, 365 ventilators and other medical equipment arrives. Deeply grateful to our EU partner for the support which will help add to our oxygen capacities," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted. A few days back, the first shipment from Ireland containing 700 units of oxygen concentrators and 365 ventilators arrived here. Reeling under the impact of the deadly COVID-19 wave, India reported 3,57,229 new COVID-19 cases, 3,20,289 discharges, and 3,449 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry`s data on Tuesday. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 2,02,82,833.The worsening COVID-19 situation in India has seen a surge in the demand for medical oxygen and beds for the COVID-19 patients. Several countries around the world have come forward to help India as it continues to struggle with the increase in its health infrastructure needs caused by the rising coronavirus cases.The member states of the European Union are delivering medical aid following India`s request for support as the country has witnessed a record surge in COVID-19 cases in the second wave of the pandemic. The aid is being provided through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which is coordinated by the Emergency Response Coordination Centre of the European Commission.Several countries like Romania, Italy, Germany, France and Belgium have already sent in the supplies.

India receives Covid aid including 548 oxygen concentrators, 365 ventilators from Ireland

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reviewed the progress of conversion of existing nitrogen plants to produce oxygen - a feasibility explored by the Centre considering the requirement of medical oxygen amidst the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus?page=1">Covid-19</a> pandemic. 
 
The Centre has identified more than two dozen nitrogen generation plants for the production of medical oxygen.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/while-india-fights-oxygen-shortage-another-challenge-lurks-in-the-shadows-381228">While India fights oxygen shortage, another challenge lurks in the shadows</a> 
 
"In order to ramp up oxygen supplies, the government is working on converting nitrogen plants into oxygen plants. Potential industries where current nitrogen plants could be spared, are being identified and converted," the Prime Minister tweeted after the review meeting.

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In order to ramp up oxygen supplies, the Government is working on converting nitrogen plants into oxygen plants. Potential industries where current nitrogen plants could be spared, are being identified &amp; converted. <a href="https://t.co/Gl9E6a7sCl">https://t.co/Gl9E6a7sCl</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1388814026793123842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The process of converting the existing Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) nitrogen plants for production of oxygen was discussed in the meeting, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister`s Office.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-india-records-highest-ever-401993-new-cases-3523-deaths-381832">COVID-19: India records highest-ever 4,01,993 new cases, 3,523 deaths</a>&nbsp; 
 
In the nitrogen plants Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS) is used whereas Zeolite Molecular Sieve (ZMS) is required for producing oxygen. Therefore, by replacing CMS with ZMS and carrying out a few other changes such as oxygen analyzer, control panel system and flow valves, existing nitrogen plants can be modified to produce oxygen. 
 
"On deliberation with the industries, so far 14 industries have been identified where conversion of plants is under progress. Further 37 nitrogen plants have been also identified with the help of industry associations," said the statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/oxygen-aid-arrives-in-india-amid-record-break-covid-numbers-382312">Oxygen aid arrives in India amid record-break Covid numbers</a> 
 
A nitrogen plant modified for the production of oxygen can be either shifted to a nearby hospital or, in case it is not feasible to shift the plant, it can be used for on-site production of oxygen, which can be transported to hospital through specialized vessels or cylinders. 
 
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary Road Transport and Highways and other senior officials participated in the meeting. 
 
Oxygen produced in on-site plants has to be compressed and filled in cylinders or special vessels using a high-pressure compressor for transporting to hospitals. 
 
Facilitation is being provided to these industries for completion of work at the earliest. 
 
The Centre had earlier asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which has a comprehensive database of industrial units, to identify the industries having spare nitrogen plants and explore the feasibility of converting existing nitrogen plants to produce oxygen. 
 
The CPCB with the help of the State Pollution Control Boards has identified such potential industries, wherein existing nitrogen generation plants may be spared for production of oxygen. 
 
In this regard, consultations have been held with potential industrial units and experts. 
 
The Centre`s step comes as India has been hit by a devastating wave of Covid infections -- the daily new cases crossed the four-lakh mark on Saturday and 3,92,488 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Sunday morning. The surge in cases has left hospitals overwhelmed, doctors traumatised, and resources like beds, medicines and oxygen in perilously short supply. 
 
The scale of the crisis has prompted the global community to step in with oxygen concentrators, tankers and other equipment being flown in by the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the European Union and other countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reviewed the progress of conversion of existing nitrogen plants to produce oxygen - a feasibility explored by the Centre considering the requirement of medical oxygen amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reviewed the progress of conversion of existing nitrogen plants to produce oxygen - a feasibility explored by the Centre considering the requirement of medical oxygen amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The Centre has identified more than two dozen nitrogen generation plants for the production of medical oxygen. Also read | While India fights oxygen shortage, another challenge lurks in the shadows "In order to ramp up oxygen supplies, the government is working on converting nitrogen plants into oxygen plants. Potential industries where current nitrogen plants could be spared, are being identified and converted," the Prime Minister tweeted after the review meeting. In order to ramp up oxygen supplies, the Government is working on converting nitrogen plants into oxygen plants. Potential industries where current nitrogen plants could be spared, are being identified & converted. https://t.co/Gl9E6a7sCl — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 2, 2021 × The process of converting the existing Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) nitrogen plants for production of oxygen was discussed in the meeting, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister`s Office. Also read | COVID-19: India records highest-ever 4,01,993 new cases, 3,523 deaths In the nitrogen plants Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS) is used whereas Zeolite Molecular Sieve (ZMS) is required for producing oxygen. Therefore, by replacing CMS with ZMS and carrying out a few other changes such as oxygen analyzer, control panel system and flow valves, existing nitrogen plants can be modified to produce oxygen. "On deliberation with the industries, so far 14 industries have been identified where conversion of plants is under progress. Further 37 nitrogen plants have been also identified with the help of industry associations," said the statement. Also read | Oxygen aid arrives in India amid record-break Covid numbers A nitrogen plant modified for the production of oxygen can be either shifted to a nearby hospital or, in case it is not feasible to shift the plant, it can be used for on-site production of oxygen, which can be transported to hospital through specialized vessels or cylinders. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary Road Transport and Highways and other senior officials participated in the meeting. Oxygen produced in on-site plants has to be compressed and filled in cylinders or special vessels using a high-pressure compressor for transporting to hospitals. Facilitation is being provided to these industries for completion of work at the earliest. The Centre had earlier asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which has a comprehensive database of industrial units, to identify the industries having spare nitrogen plants and explore the feasibility of converting existing nitrogen plants to produce oxygen. The CPCB with the help of the State Pollution Control Boards has identified such potential industries, wherein existing nitrogen generation plants may be spared for production of oxygen. In this regard, consultations have been held with potential industrial units and experts. The Centre`s step comes as India has been hit by a devastating wave of Covid infections -- the daily new cases crossed the four-lakh mark on Saturday and 3,92,488 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Sunday morning. The surge in cases has left hospitals overwhelmed, doctors traumatised, and resources like beds, medicines and oxygen in perilously short supply. The scale of the crisis has prompted the global community to step in with oxygen concentrators, tankers and other equipment being flown in by the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the European Union and other countries.

PM reviews progress of converting nitrogen plants to produce oxygen

More emergency aid including medical Oxygen arrived in India on Sunday. The daily Covid death toll Covid attained a new high. India is setting new highs almost daily. On Sunday, 3689 deaths were reported. This is the highest single-day rise yet in the pandemic. The overall death toll has gone above 215,000.

The latest figures came as medical equipment -- including oxygen-generation plants -- was flown into the capital New Delhi from France and Germany as part of a huge international effort.

"We are here because we are bringing help that... will save lives," Germany's ambassador to India, Walter J. Lindner, said as 120 ventilators arrived late Saturday.

"Out there the hospitals are full. People are sometimes dying in front of the hospitals. They have no more oxygen. Sometimes (they are dying) in their cars."

French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain said his country wanted to show solidarity with India.

"The world won't be safe until we are all safe. So it's a matter of urgency," he said early Sunday following the delivery of eight oxygen-generation plants and dozens of ventilators from France.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/domestic-travel-curbs-can-lead-to-more-covid-19-cases-study-382216">Domestic travel curbs can lead to more COVID-19 cases: Study</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said late Sunday his government was investigating whether nitrogen plants could be used to produce oxygen instead.&nbsp;

More lockdowns

India's eastern state of Odisha on Sunday became the latest region to order a lockdown to slow the spread of the pathogen.

Capital New Delhi, the worst-hit city in the country extended its lockdown by another week.

Hospitals in the capital continued to issue SOS calls for oxygen on social media, with the latest appeal posted by a children's hospital on Twitter on Sunday.

The plea came a day after up to a dozen patients died at a Delhi hospital amid an oxygen shortage, local media reported.

There are growing fears about the pandemic ravaging smaller towns and rural regions where health infrastructure is already patchy and limited.

India on Saturday opened up its inoculation drive to all adults, but supplies are running low and only online enrolments are allowed for the under-45s.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-pm-modi-reviews-oxygen-and-medicine-availability-382200">COVID-19: PM Modi reviews oxygen and medicine availability</a>

"It is a necessity now. We are seeing so many people testing positive," data scientist Megha Srivastava, 35, told AFP outside a Delhi vaccination centre.

The head of the world's largest vaccine maker, Serum Institute chief Adar Poonawalla, told The Times newspaper on Saturday during a business trip to Britain that he was being hounded by political and business leaders for more supplies.

"'Threats' is an understatement," he told the paper. "The level of expectation and aggression is really unprecedented. It's overwhelming. Everyone feels they should get the vaccine."

Experts have called on the government to allow more flexibility in India's vaccine rollout, particularly in poorer rural areas where there is lower internet penetration.

"We should procure sufficient vaccines, then plan bottom-up through... the primary health centre level," Bangalore-based public health expert Hemant Shewade told AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

More emergency aid including medical Oxygen arrived in India on Sunday. The daily Covid death toll Covid attained a new high. India is setting new highs almost daily.

More emergency aid including medical Oxygen arrived in India on Sunday. The daily Covid death toll Covid attained a new high. India is setting new highs almost daily. On Sunday, 3689 deaths were reported. This is the highest single-day rise yet in the pandemic. The overall death toll has gone above 215,000. The latest figures came as medical equipment -- including oxygen-generation plants -- was flown into the capital New Delhi from France and Germany as part of a huge international effort. "We are here because we are bringing help that... will save lives," Germany's ambassador to India, Walter J. Lindner, said as 120 ventilators arrived late Saturday. "Out there the hospitals are full. People are sometimes dying in front of the hospitals. They have no more oxygen. Sometimes (they are dying) in their cars." French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain said his country wanted to show solidarity with India. "The world won't be safe until we are all safe. So it's a matter of urgency," he said early Sunday following the delivery of eight oxygen-generation plants and dozens of ventilators from France. Also Read | Domestic travel curbs can lead to more COVID-19 cases: Study Prime Minister Narendra Modi said late Sunday his government was investigating whether nitrogen plants could be used to produce oxygen instead. More lockdowns India's eastern state of Odisha on Sunday became the latest region to order a lockdown to slow the spread of the pathogen. Capital New Delhi, the worst-hit city in the country extended its lockdown by another week. Hospitals in the capital continued to issue SOS calls for oxygen on social media, with the latest appeal posted by a children's hospital on Twitter on Sunday. The plea came a day after up to a dozen patients died at a Delhi hospital amid an oxygen shortage, local media reported. There are growing fears about the pandemic ravaging smaller towns and rural regions where health infrastructure is already patchy and limited. India on Saturday opened up its inoculation drive to all adults, but supplies are running low and only online enrolments are allowed for the under-45s. Also Read | COVID-19: PM Modi reviews oxygen and medicine availability "It is a necessity now. We are seeing so many people testing positive," data scientist Megha Srivastava, 35, told AFP outside a Delhi vaccination centre. The head of the world's largest vaccine maker, Serum Institute chief Adar Poonawalla, told The Times newspaper on Saturday during a business trip to Britain that he was being hounded by political and business leaders for more supplies. "'Threats' is an understatement," he told the paper. "The level of expectation and aggression is really unprecedented. It's overwhelming. Everyone feels they should get the vaccine." Experts have called on the government to allow more flexibility in India's vaccine rollout, particularly in poorer rural areas where there is lower internet penetration. "We should procure sufficient vaccines, then plan bottom-up through... the primary health centre level," Bangalore-based public health expert Hemant Shewade told AFP. (With inputs from agencies)

Oxygen aid arrives in India amid record-break Covid numbers

The New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi issued an SOS call for the need for an oxygen cylinder in India’s capital, on Sunday.

"@sosiyc @srinivasiyc Could you please help with the oxygen cylinder urgently at the New Zealand High Commission? Thank you," the tweet read, which was later deleted.
<img alt="New Zealand High Commission" data-caption="The deleted tweet of&amp;nbsp;New Zealand High Commission" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="952422fe-58ec-43ba-9032-6ddd4ff71561" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20Zealand%20High%20Commission.jpg" />
However, the High Commission quickly followed that deleted tweet with another tweet explaining the reason behind the same. "We are trying all sources to arrange for oxygen cylinders urgently and our appeal has unfortunately been misinterpreted, for which we are sorry,"&nbsp;the high commission clarified.

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We are trying all sources to arrange for oxygen cylinders urgently and our appeal has unfortunately been misinterpreted, for which we are sorry.
— NZ in India (@NZinIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZinIndia/status/1388714299774754817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The IYC also claimed that the patient inside the high commission was "critically ill".

"Update- New Zealand high commission opened gates of the embassy and accepted cylinders," a follow-up tweet stated. "Also, they thanked the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOSIYC?src=hashtag_click">#SOSIYC</a> team for this quick relief as patient inside embassy was critically ill."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-row-over-sos-from-new-zealand-embassy-382297">Watch |</a>

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This caused a row of accusations on Twitter, with many alleging the tweet was deleted under pressure — but no proof was given to back these allegations.

It also coincided with another spat over a case of the Philippines Embassy, prompting an exchange of tweets between senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The Congress minister had accused the government of not helping the foreign embassies — a claim that was proved false by the EAM.

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MEA checked with the Philippines Embassy. This was an unsolicited supply as they had no Covid cases. Clearly for cheap publicity by you know who. Giving away cylinders like this when there are people in desperate need of oxygen is simply appalling. <a href="https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jairam_Ramesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/G3jPE3c0nR">https://t.co/G3jPE3c0nR</a>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1388700951012417537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"MEA checked with the Philippines Embassy. This was an unsolicited supply as they had no Covid cases. Clearly for cheap publicity by you know who. Giving away cylinders like this when there are people in desperate need of oxygen is simply appalling," Jaishankar clarified in a tweet. "Jairamji, MEA never sleeps; our people know across the world. MEA also never fakes; we know who does."

The New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi issued an SOS call for the need for an oxygen cylinder in India’s capital, on Sunday. "@sosiyc @srinivasiyc Could you please help with the oxygen cylinder urgently at the New Zealand High Commission?

The New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi issued an SOS call for the need for an oxygen cylinder in India’s capital, on Sunday. "@sosiyc @srinivasiyc Could you please help with the oxygen cylinder urgently at the New Zealand High Commission? Thank you," the tweet read, which was later deleted. However, the High Commission quickly followed that deleted tweet with another tweet explaining the reason behind the same. "We are trying all sources to arrange for oxygen cylinders urgently and our appeal has unfortunately been misinterpreted, for which we are sorry," the high commission clarified. We are trying all sources to arrange for oxygen cylinders urgently and our appeal has unfortunately been misinterpreted, for which we are sorry. — NZ in India (@NZinIndia) May 2, 2021 × The IYC also claimed that the patient inside the high commission was "critically ill". "Update- New Zealand high commission opened gates of the embassy and accepted cylinders," a follow-up tweet stated. "Also, they thanked the #SOSIYC team for this quick relief as patient inside embassy was critically ill." Watch | This caused a row of accusations on Twitter, with many alleging the tweet was deleted under pressure — but no proof was given to back these allegations. It also coincided with another spat over a case of the Philippines Embassy, prompting an exchange of tweets between senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The Congress minister had accused the government of not helping the foreign embassies — a claim that was proved false by the EAM. MEA checked with the Philippines Embassy. This was an unsolicited supply as they had no Covid cases. Clearly for cheap publicity by you know who. Giving away cylinders like this when there are people in desperate need of oxygen is simply appalling. @Jairam_Ramesh https://t.co/G3jPE3c0nR — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 2, 2021 × "MEA checked with the Philippines Embassy. This was an unsolicited supply as they had no Covid cases. Clearly for cheap publicity by you know who. Giving away cylinders like this when there are people in desperate need of oxygen is simply appalling," Jaishankar clarified in a tweet. "Jairamji, MEA never sleeps; our people know across the world. MEA also never fakes; we know who does."

India: Row over New Zealand High Commission's request of oxygen cylinder

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a virtual meeting with experts to review oxygen and medicine availability. He also reviewed the human resource situation, in relation to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19 pandemic</a>, and ways to augment it.

According to government sources, the Prime Minister reviewed the matter of augmenting human resources for effective management of COVID-19 in the country today.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-receives-essential-medical-supplies-from-france-to-combat-covid-19-surge-382096">India receives essential medical supplies from France to combat COVID-19 surge</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/taiwans-first-batch-of-covid-19-aid-leaves-for-india-382139">Taiwan's first batch of COVID-19 aid leaves for India</a>

During the meeting, several steps to incentivize students and pass-outs of medical and nursing courses to join Covid duty were taken.

The decisions which were taken in the meeting may include delaying the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination and incentivizing MBBS pass-outs studying for it to join Covid duty. It might also include utilising services of final year MBBS and nursing students in Covid Duty.

Medical personnel doing Covid duty will be given preference in government recruitment as well as a financial incentive.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/taiwans-first-batch-of-covid-19-aid-leaves-for-india-382139">Taiwan's first batch of COVID-19 aid leaves for India</a>

India reported 3,92,488 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, down from yesterday`s high of over 4 lakh cases, taking the cumulative count of the cases to 1,95,57,457, the Union Health Ministry said today.&nbsp;

Currently, there are 33,49,644 active cases of COVID-19 in the country and the death toll has mounted to 2,15,542. The total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered stand at over 15,68,16,031, informed the health ministry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a virtual meeting with experts to review oxygen and medicine availability. He also reviewed the human resource situation, in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ways to augment it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a virtual meeting with experts to review oxygen and medicine availability. He also reviewed the human resource situation, in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ways to augment it. According to government sources, the Prime Minister reviewed the matter of augmenting human resources for effective management of COVID-19 in the country today. Also read | India receives essential medical supplies from France to combat COVID-19 surge Taiwan's first batch of COVID-19 aid leaves for India During the meeting, several steps to incentivize students and pass-outs of medical and nursing courses to join Covid duty were taken. The decisions which were taken in the meeting may include delaying the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination and incentivizing MBBS pass-outs studying for it to join Covid duty. It might also include utilising services of final year MBBS and nursing students in Covid Duty. Medical personnel doing Covid duty will be given preference in government recruitment as well as a financial incentive. Also read | Taiwan's first batch of COVID-19 aid leaves for India India reported 3,92,488 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, down from yesterday`s high of over 4 lakh cases, taking the cumulative count of the cases to 1,95,57,457, the Union Health Ministry said today. Currently, there are 33,49,644 active cases of COVID-19 in the country and the death toll has mounted to 2,15,542. The total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered stand at over 15,68,16,031, informed the health ministry.

COVID-19: PM Modi reviews oxygen and medicine availability

India is facing the brunt of&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;shortage with serpentine lines seen outside&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;manufacturing units as the second wave of COVID-19 has completely overwhelmed health infrastructure of the country.

The world's second-most populous nation is in deep crisis, with its hospitals and morgues overwhelmed as healthcare professionals struggle to cope with streams of patients.

Apart from the megacities, medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;and beds have become scarce in smaller cities, with major hospitals putting up notices saying they have no room for any more patients and asking relatives to arrange for medical&nbsp;oxygen.

Long queues were seen at&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;plants in several cities of India's most populous Uttar Pradesh state, including its capital Lucknow, with people from private hospitals, isolation centres, and even individuals visiting the plant with their empty cylinders in the hopes of getting some life-saving gas for patients.

Oxygen&nbsp;production and filling facilities in rural India are also overburdened with high-demand. They have shut regular industrial filling of&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;and are only focused on filling up cylinders for medical&nbsp;oxygen.

Why is&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;vital?&nbsp;

Oxygen&nbsp;therapy is crucial for severe Covid-19 patients with hypoxaemia when&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;levels in the blood are too low.<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-india-run-out-of-doctors-to-treat-the-wuhan-virus-381229/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

According to&nbsp;community health specialist Rajib Dasgupta,&nbsp;"Some clinical studies&nbsp;show that up to a quarter of hospitalised (Covid-19) patients require&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;therapy and upwards to two-thirds of those in intensive care units."

"This is why it is imperative&nbsp;to fix&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;supply systems in hospital settings as this is a disease that affects lungs primarily."

India's toll from the coronavirus surged past 200,000 on Wednesday, the country's deadliest day, as shortages of&nbsp;oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new infections.

What is an oximeter and oxygen concentrator?

Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive and painless test that measures your oxygen saturation level or the oxygen levels in your blood. It can rapidly detect even small changes in how efficiently oxygen is being carried to the extremities furthest from the heart, including the legs and the arms.

During a pulse oximetry reading, a small clamp-like device is placed on a finger, earlobe, or toe. Small beams of light pass through the blood in the finger, measuring the amount of oxygen. It does this by measuring changes in light absorption in oxygenated or deoxygenated blood. This is a painless process.

Meanwhile, in the case of oxygen&nbsp;concentrator, air&nbsp;is filled with various gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. So to separate oxygen from these gases Oxygen Concentrator comes into being, it is a medical device that supplies pure oxygen. As per the WHO report published in 2015, this device was developed to help patients admitted to hospital with respiratory illness. Oxygen Concentrator produces oxygen for 24 hours, seven days a week, for up to five years or more. Also, they can supply five to ten litres of oxygen per minute. Unlike the oxygen cylinder, this device doesn't need to get refiled, is portable and can run with the help of an inverter. However, they are quite expensive, compared to oxygen cylinders.

Does India produce enough&nbsp;oxygen?&nbsp;

Yes. Experts say the vast nation of 1.3 billion people is producing enough&nbsp;oxygen, just over 7,000 tonnes a day. Most is for industrial use but can be diverted for&nbsp;medical&nbsp;purposes.

The bottlenecks are in transport and storage.

Liquid&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;at very low temperatures has to be transported in cryogenic tankers to distributors, which then convert it into gas for filling cylinders.

But India is short of cryogenic tankers.

And such special tankers, when filled, have to be transported by road and not by air for safety reasons.

Most&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;producers are in India's east, while the soaring demand has been in cities including financial hub Mumbai in the west and the capital Delhi in the north.

According to&nbsp;the head of one of India's biggest&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;suppliers Inox Air Products, Siddharth Jain, "The supply chain has to be tweaked to move&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;from certain regions which have excess supply to regions which need more supply."

Meanwhile, many hospitals do not have on-site&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;plants, often because of poor infrastructure, a lack of expertise and high costs.

Late last year, India issued tenders for on-site&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;plants for hospitals. But the plans were never actioned, local media report.

Why the long waits for&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;in developing nations?&nbsp;

India is only the latest country to confront a lack of&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;supplies. Earlier in the pandemic there were similar scenes of long lines in countries such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Peru and Venezuela.&nbsp;

Unitaid, a global initiative that helps low- and middle-income countries confront public health challenges, puts the lack of supplies of&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;down to its cost, limited infrastructure and logistical difficulties.

Medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;is key to treating people in respiratory distress, whether at home or in hospitals. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one person in five suffering from Covid-19 needs&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;to ensure that the level of&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;in their blood is sufficient.

How much is needed in countries facing shortages?&nbsp;

In February, the WHO estimated that half a million people needed 1.2 million&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;canisters a day.

Unitaid put the price tag of helping the countries facing the greatest need at $1.6 billion this year. &nbsp;

"This is a global emergency that needs a truly global response," said Unitaid's Executive Director, Dr Philippe Duneton, in February.

It has identified some 20 countries facing the greatest difficulties with&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;supplies, including Malawi, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

How is&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;made?&nbsp;

Oxygen&nbsp;is made in two ways:

Medical&nbsp;oxygen: is made by separating the&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;from other gases and impurities found in air by repeated steps of compression, filtration and purification, according to Air Liquide Sante France.

Such&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;reaches more than 99.5 percent purity and is rigorously tested.

It can be highly compressed into a liquid form, but has to be maintained below -182°C, which according to Air Liquide Sante France is the best way to meet variations in demand as one litre of liquid&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;is the equivalent to around 800 litres when it is in normal gas form.

Canisters that can travel with patients with one litre of compressed litres of&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;contain about 200 litres of normal&nbsp;oxygen.

- Compressed&nbsp;oxygen: machines that can separate out nitrogen from ambient air can raise&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;levels to around 93 percent.&nbsp;The machines can be portable or larger to serve a hospital. However, these machines cannot meet surges in demand -- which rose by a factor of five or six in French hospitals as waves of Covid patients peaked. They are require lots of electricity and need to be regularly maintained by a technician.

Who are the main producers?&nbsp;

Outside of China, the three main producers of&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;are the German firm Linde, which is allied with Praxair in the US; the French firm Air Liquide and the US company Air Products.

But there are a large number of local and regional producers of&nbsp;medical&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;given that it is difficult to shop long distances.

Industrialised countries are better served as production facilities were designed to serve more than just the&nbsp;medical&nbsp;sector, such as the steel and chemicals industries.

What's being done for India?&nbsp;

The Indian military has used its cargo aircraft to transport&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;tanker trucks where supplies are lacking, and a train called the&nbsp;Oxygen&nbsp;Express was put into service on April 22.

The military has also said it plans to import 23 mobile production units from Germany.

France plans to send eight such units that will be able to produce enough&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;to serve 10,000 patients a day. It also plans to ship 200 tonnes of liquid&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;to Indian hospitals.

What's happening on the ground?&nbsp;

Oxygen&nbsp;shortages are still affecting badly hit regions despite the measures to boost supply, transport and storage.

Reports have emerged of hospitals asking patients to arrange for their own&nbsp;cylinders and of people dying even after being admitted due to low&nbsp;oxygen&nbsp;supplies.

Social media platforms have been filled with posts by desperate families hunting for cylinders and refills.

Meanwhile, there is a growing black market for cylinders and concentrators sold far above their usual retail prices.

(With inputs from agencies)

India is facing the brunt of oxygen shortage with serpentine lines seen outside oxygen manufacturing units as the second wave of COVID-19 has completely overwhelmed health infrastructure of the country.

India is facing the brunt of oxygen shortage with serpentine lines seen outside oxygen manufacturing units as the second wave of COVID-19 has completely overwhelmed health infrastructure of the country. The world's second-most populous nation is in deep crisis, with its hospitals and morgues overwhelmed as healthcare professionals struggle to cope with streams of patients. Apart from the megacities, medical oxygen and beds have become scarce in smaller cities, with major hospitals putting up notices saying they have no room for any more patients and asking relatives to arrange for medical oxygen. Long queues were seen at oxygen plants in several cities of India's most populous Uttar Pradesh state, including its capital Lucknow, with people from private hospitals, isolation centres, and even individuals visiting the plant with their empty cylinders in the hopes of getting some life-saving gas for patients. Oxygen production and filling facilities in rural India are also overburdened with high-demand. They have shut regular industrial filling of oxygen and are only focused on filling up cylinders for medical oxygen. Why is medical oxygen vital? Oxygen therapy is crucial for severe Covid-19 patients with hypoxaemia when oxygen levels in the blood are too low. According to community health specialist Rajib Dasgupta, "Some clinical studies show that up to a quarter of hospitalised (Covid-19) patients require oxygen therapy and upwards to two-thirds of those in intensive care units." "This is why it is imperative to fix oxygen supply systems in hospital settings as this is a disease that affects lungs primarily." India's toll from the coronavirus surged past 200,000 on Wednesday, the country's deadliest day, as shortages of oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new infections. What is an oximeter and oxygen concentrator? Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive and painless test that measures your oxygen saturation level or the oxygen levels in your blood. It can rapidly detect even small changes in how efficiently oxygen is being carried to the extremities furthest from the heart, including the legs and the arms. During a pulse oximetry reading, a small clamp-like device is placed on a finger, earlobe, or toe. Small beams of light pass through the blood in the finger, measuring the amount of oxygen. It does this by measuring changes in light absorption in oxygenated or deoxygenated blood. This is a painless process. Meanwhile, in the case of oxygen concentrator, air is filled with various gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. So to separate oxygen from these gases Oxygen Concentrator comes into being, it is a medical device that supplies pure oxygen. As per the WHO report published in 2015, this device was developed to help patients admitted to hospital with respiratory illness. Oxygen Concentrator produces oxygen for 24 hours, seven days a week, for up to five years or more. Also, they can supply five to ten litres of oxygen per minute. Unlike the oxygen cylinder, this device doesn't need to get refiled, is portable and can run with the help of an inverter. However, they are quite expensive, compared to oxygen cylinders. Does India produce enough oxygen? Yes. Experts say the vast nation of 1.3 billion people is producing enough oxygen, just over 7,000 tonnes a day. Most is for industrial use but can be diverted for medical purposes. The bottlenecks are in transport and storage. Liquid oxygen at very low temperatures has to be transported in cryogenic tankers to distributors, which then convert it into gas for filling cylinders. But India is short of cryogenic tankers. And such special tankers, when filled, have to be transported by road and not by air for safety reasons. Most oxygen producers are in India's east, while the soaring demand has been in cities including financial hub Mumbai in the west and the capital Delhi in the north. According to the head of one of India's biggest medical oxygen suppliers Inox Air Products, Siddharth Jain, "The supply chain has to be tweaked to move medical oxygen from certain regions which have excess supply to regions which need more supply." Meanwhile, many hospitals do not have on-site oxygen plants, often because of poor infrastructure, a lack of expertise and high costs. Late last year, India issued tenders for on-site oxygen plants for hospitals. But the plans were never actioned, local media report. Why the long waits for oxygen in developing nations? India is only the latest country to confront a lack of medical oxygen supplies. Earlier in the pandemic there were similar scenes of long lines in countries such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Peru and Venezuela. Unitaid, a global initiative that helps low- and middle-income countries confront public health challenges, puts the lack of supplies of medical oxygen down to its cost, limited infrastructure and logistical difficulties. Medical oxygen is key to treating people in respiratory distress, whether at home or in hospitals. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one person in five suffering from Covid-19 needs medical oxygen to ensure that the level of oxygen in their blood is sufficient. How much is needed in countries facing shortages? In February, the WHO estimated that half a million people needed 1.2 million oxygen canisters a day. Unitaid put the price tag of helping the countries facing the greatest need at $1.6 billion this year. "This is a global emergency that needs a truly global response," said Unitaid's Executive Director, Dr Philippe Duneton, in February. It has identified some 20 countries facing the greatest difficulties with oxygen supplies, including Malawi, Nigeria and Afghanistan. How is oxygen made? Oxygen is made in two ways: Medical oxygen: is made by separating the oxygen from other gases and impurities found in air by repeated steps of compression, filtration and purification, according to Air Liquide Sante France. Such medical oxygen reaches more than 99.5 percent purity and is rigorously tested. It can be highly compressed into a liquid form, but has to be maintained below -182°C, which according to Air Liquide Sante France is the best way to meet variations in demand as one litre of liquid oxygen is the equivalent to around 800 litres when it is in normal gas form. Canisters that can travel with patients with one litre of compressed litres of oxygen contain about 200 litres of normal oxygen. - Compressed oxygen: machines that can separate out nitrogen from ambient air can raise oxygen levels to around 93 percent. The machines can be portable or larger to serve a hospital. However, these machines cannot meet surges in demand -- which rose by a factor of five or six in French hospitals as waves of Covid patients peaked. They are require lots of electricity and need to be regularly maintained by a technician. Who are the main producers? Outside of China, the three main producers of medical oxygen are the German firm Linde, which is allied with Praxair in the US; the French firm Air Liquide and the US company Air Products. But there are a large number of local and regional producers of medical oxygen given that it is difficult to shop long distances. Industrialised countries are better served as production facilities were designed to serve more than just the medical sector, such as the steel and chemicals industries. What's being done for India? The Indian military has used its cargo aircraft to transport oxygen tanker trucks where supplies are lacking, and a train called the Oxygen Express was put into service on April 22. The military has also said it plans to import 23 mobile production units from Germany. France plans to send eight such units that will be able to produce enough oxygen to serve 10,000 patients a day. It also plans to ship 200 tonnes of liquid oxygen to Indian hospitals. What's happening on the ground? Oxygen shortages are still affecting badly hit regions despite the measures to boost supply, transport and storage. Reports have emerged of hospitals asking patients to arrange for their own cylinders and of people dying even after being admitted due to low oxygen supplies. Social media platforms have been filled with posts by desperate families hunting for cylinders and refills. Meanwhile, there is a growing black market for cylinders and concentrators sold far above their usual retail prices. (With inputs from agencies)

Medical oxygen: Why is it vital and does India produce enough?

Budget carrier SpiceJet's dedicated freighter arm SpiceXpress on Wednesday said it has airlifted 1,000 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to Delhi amid a nationwide shortage of medical oxygen in the country.&nbsp;

Ordered by SpiceHealth for emergency use and distribution across India, the oxygen concentrators will reach Delhi via Kolkata, SpiceJet said in a release.&nbsp;

An oxygen concentrator is a medical device that concentrates oxygen from ambient air.&nbsp;

This is the second big consignment of oxygen concentrators ordered and delivered to SpiceHealth with more than 2,000 such concentrators getting transported in the last two weeks, SpiceJet said.&nbsp;

The company is looking at bringing about 20,000 oxygen concentrators in the coming days from across the globe, SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh said.&nbsp;

SpiceHealth has been working actively with state governments and hospitals across the country to address the issue of acute shortage of oxygen, the company said.&nbsp;

"Considering the current situation across the country, our focus is to airlift as many oxygen concentrators, BiPAPs, and other medical devices as possible to cater to the increasing demand. SpiceJet and SpiceHealth are collaborating actively to contribute in our country's dedicated efforts to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic," Singh said.&nbsp;

With a network spanning 63 domestic and 50 international destinations and a fleet of 19 cargo planes, SpiceXpress is capable of flying over 600 tonnes of cargo daily to domestic and international destinations. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Budget carrier SpiceJet's dedicated freighter arm SpiceXpress on Wednesday said it has airlifted 1,000 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to Delhi amid a nationwide shortage of medical oxygen in the country.

Budget carrier SpiceJet's dedicated freighter arm SpiceXpress on Wednesday said it has airlifted 1,000 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to Delhi amid a nationwide shortage of medical oxygen in the country. Ordered by SpiceHealth for emergency use and distribution across India, the oxygen concentrators will reach Delhi via Kolkata, SpiceJet said in a release. An oxygen concentrator is a medical device that concentrates oxygen from ambient air. This is the second big consignment of oxygen concentrators ordered and delivered to SpiceHealth with more than 2,000 such concentrators getting transported in the last two weeks, SpiceJet said. The company is looking at bringing about 20,000 oxygen concentrators in the coming days from across the globe, SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh said. SpiceHealth has been working actively with state governments and hospitals across the country to address the issue of acute shortage of oxygen, the company said. "Considering the current situation across the country, our focus is to airlift as many oxygen concentrators, BiPAPs, and other medical devices as possible to cater to the increasing demand. SpiceJet and SpiceHealth are collaborating actively to contribute in our country's dedicated efforts to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic," Singh said. With a network spanning 63 domestic and 50 international destinations and a fleet of 19 cargo planes, SpiceXpress is capable of flying over 600 tonnes of cargo daily to domestic and international destinations. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: 1,000 oxygen concentrators airlifted from Hong Kong to Delhi 

France plans to offer India "significant" extra oxygen capacity in the coming days to help the country cope with a record surge in COVID-19 infections, the French presidency said on Sunday.

The assistance is to include badly needed oxygen ventilators, a source told AFP without providing further details. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-crisis-eu-uk-us-denmark-pitch-in-to-assist-india-380206">Covid Crisis: EU, UK, US, Denmark pitch in to assist India&nbsp;</a> 
 
France joins other countries such as Germany, Britain and the United States in coming to the aid of India, which with a new coronavirus variant spreading through its 1.3 billion people, has become the world's top coronavirus hotspot in recent days, reporting 3,49,691 new cases on Sunday alone.

The EU as a whole is also preparing rapid assistance for India, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said earlier.

"Alarmed by the epidemiological situation in India. We are ready to support," von der Leyen said on Twitter.

"The EU is pooling resources to respond rapidly to India's request for assistance via the EU civil protection mechanism."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Alarmed by the epidemiological situation in India. We are ready to support. 
 
The EU is pooling resources to respond rapidly to India’s request for assistance via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. 
 
We stand in full solidarity with the Indian people! <a href="https://t.co/Pv8ezFPdS3">https://t.co/Pv8ezFPdS3</a>
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1386292464277852162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The mechanism allows European Union countries to coordinate their aid in cases of emergency.

India recorded 2,767 deaths from Covid-19 on Sunday -- the highest since the start of the pandemic. In Delhi, there have been reports of overwhelmed hospitals.

France plans to offer India "significant" extra oxygen capacity in the coming days to help the country cope with a record surge in COVID-19 infections, the French presidency said on Sunday.

France plans to offer India "significant" extra oxygen capacity in the coming days to help the country cope with a record surge in COVID-19 infections, the French presidency said on Sunday. The assistance is to include badly needed oxygen ventilators, a source told AFP without providing further details. Covid Crisis: EU, UK, US, Denmark pitch in to assist India France joins other countries such as Germany, Britain and the United States in coming to the aid of India, which with a new coronavirus variant spreading through its 1.3 billion people, has become the world's top coronavirus hotspot in recent days, reporting 3,49,691 new cases on Sunday alone. The EU as a whole is also preparing rapid assistance for India, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said earlier. "Alarmed by the epidemiological situation in India. We are ready to support," von der Leyen said on Twitter. "The EU is pooling resources to respond rapidly to India's request for assistance via the EU civil protection mechanism." Alarmed by the epidemiological situation in India. We are ready to support. The EU is pooling resources to respond rapidly to India’s request for assistance via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. We stand in full solidarity with the Indian people! https://t.co/Pv8ezFPdS3 — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 25, 2021 × The mechanism allows European Union countries to coordinate their aid in cases of emergency. India recorded 2,767 deaths from Covid-19 on Sunday -- the highest since the start of the pandemic. In Delhi, there have been reports of overwhelmed hospitals.

COVID-19: France to provide 'significant' oxygen support to India

As India battles a severe second wave of coronavirus pandemic, the UK on Sunday announced sending life-saving medical equipment including ventilators and oxygen concentrator devices to the country.&nbsp;

The UK High Commission here said more than 600 pieces of vital medical equipment will be sent to India to support the country in its fight against COVID-19.&nbsp;

It said ventilators and oxygen concentrator devices are due to leave the UK on Sunday and the first shipment is expected to arrive in Delhi early on Tuesday with further consignments reaching later this week.&nbsp;

"We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner during what is a deeply concerning time in the fight against COVID-19," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.&nbsp;

"Vital medical equipment, including hundreds of oxygen concentrators and ventilators, is now on its way from the UK to India to support efforts to prevent the tragic loss of life from this terrible virus," he is quoted as saying by the high commission.&nbsp;

It said the assistance package, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, includes ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks.&nbsp;

"It will be used by the government of India to provide vital medical treatment to those suffering from COVID-19 in India," it said.&nbsp;

The high commission said the support follows a request from India and Prime Minister Johnson's pledge for the UK to do all it can to help the country.&nbsp;

"In total, nine airline container loads of supplies, including 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators, will be sent to the country this week," the high commission said.&nbsp;

It said the equipment will be crucial in helping to save the lives of the most vulnerable in India.&nbsp;

"The oxygen concentrators, for example, can extract oxygen from the air in the atmosphere so that it can be provided to patients, taking the strain off hospital oxygen systems and allowing oxygen to be provided in situations where hospital oxygen supplies have run out," it said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

As India battles a severe second wave of coronavirus pandemic, the UK on Sunday announced sending life-saving medical equipment including ventilators and oxygen concentrator devices to the country.

As India battles a severe second wave of coronavirus pandemic, the UK on Sunday announced sending life-saving medical equipment including ventilators and oxygen concentrator devices to the country. The UK High Commission here said more than 600 pieces of vital medical equipment will be sent to India to support the country in its fight against COVID-19. It said ventilators and oxygen concentrator devices are due to leave the UK on Sunday and the first shipment is expected to arrive in Delhi early on Tuesday with further consignments reaching later this week. "We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner during what is a deeply concerning time in the fight against COVID-19," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. "Vital medical equipment, including hundreds of oxygen concentrators and ventilators, is now on its way from the UK to India to support efforts to prevent the tragic loss of life from this terrible virus," he is quoted as saying by the high commission. It said the assistance package, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, includes ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks. "It will be used by the government of India to provide vital medical treatment to those suffering from COVID-19 in India," it said. The high commission said the support follows a request from India and Prime Minister Johnson's pledge for the UK to do all it can to help the country. "In total, nine airline container loads of supplies, including 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators, will be sent to the country this week," the high commission said. It said the equipment will be crucial in helping to save the lives of the most vulnerable in India. "The oxygen concentrators, for example, can extract oxygen from the air in the atmosphere so that it can be provided to patients, taking the strain off hospital oxygen systems and allowing oxygen to be provided in situations where hospital oxygen supplies have run out," it said. (With inputs from agencies)

UK sending medical devices like ventilators, oxygen concentrators to India 

With the unprecedented rise in the coronavirus cases, the demand of medical oxygen has shot up in India.

But what exactly is the medical oxygen? Read on to know more.&nbsp;

The air we breathe is a mix of several gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The term ‘medical oxygen’ means high-purity oxygen, which is used for medical treatments and developed for use in the human body.

The medical oxygen cylinders actually contain highly pure oxygen gas.

To get medical oxygen, a person requires a prescription. To prevent contamination, no other types of gases are allowed in the cylinder.&nbsp;

How different is it from industrial oxygen?&nbsp;

Oxygen is also used in industries for combustion, oxidation, cutting and chemical reactions.

The difference is that purity levels of industrial oxygen are not appropriate for human use. There can be impurities, which can make people ill.&nbsp;

Medical oxygen cylinders should also be free of contaminants.

The cylinders need to be thoroughly cleaned before use.&nbsp;

Uses&nbsp;

Medical oxygen is generally administered in medical facilities, such as hospitals and clinics.

It is used as first aid resuscitation for emergencies, during anesthesia, life support for patients, who can’t breathe on their own, and oxygen therapy.

Athletes also use medical oxygen at high altitudes or training.&nbsp;

With the unprecedented rise in the coronavirus cases, the demand of medical oxygen has shot up in India. But what exactly is the medical oxygen? Read on to know more.

With the unprecedented rise in the coronavirus cases, the demand of medical oxygen has shot up in India. But what exactly is the medical oxygen? Read on to know more. The air we breathe is a mix of several gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The term ‘medical oxygen’ means high-purity oxygen, which is used for medical treatments and developed for use in the human body. The medical oxygen cylinders actually contain highly pure oxygen gas. To get medical oxygen, a person requires a prescription. To prevent contamination, no other types of gases are allowed in the cylinder. How different is it from industrial oxygen? Oxygen is also used in industries for combustion, oxidation, cutting and chemical reactions. The difference is that purity levels of industrial oxygen are not appropriate for human use. There can be impurities, which can make people ill. Medical oxygen cylinders should also be free of contaminants. The cylinders need to be thoroughly cleaned before use. Uses Medical oxygen is generally administered in medical facilities, such as hospitals and clinics. It is used as first aid resuscitation for emergencies, during anesthesia, life support for patients, who can’t breathe on their own, and oxygen therapy. Athletes also use medical oxygen at high altitudes or training.

COVID-19: What is medical oxygen?   

The Indian High Commission on Saturday issued an open appeal through social media for help to meet the rising demand for oxygen and medical supplies in India's devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

It listed the required items as refillable oxygen cylinders, concentrators and the drug Remdesivir, used to treat severe COVID-19 cases. India has recorded nearly a million infections in three days, with 346,786 new cases on Saturday.&nbsp;

"@HCILondon thanks all who have come forward to help in COVID19 situation. India needs: (i) Empty, refillable Oxygen cylinders with 10 litres and 45 litres LMO (liquid medical oxygen) capacity (ii) Oxygen concentrators (iii) in situ Oxygen manufacturing plants for hospitals &amp; (iv) Remdesivir," reads the appeal on Twitter.&nbsp;

It comes as several diaspora organisations have also been coordinating efforts to provide assistance and support, amid news of oxygen supply shortages at hospitals in New Delhi and other regions.&nbsp;

"The Indian diaspora has huge confidence in Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and stand ready to help the government of India in any form they need," said Kuldeep Shekhawat, President of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) diaspora group, which held a virtual meeting to consider a donation drive for the Prime Minister's Relief Fund if required.&nbsp;

On Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK is looking at ways to help and support India through the crisis.&nbsp;

"We're looking at what we can do to help and support the people of India, possibly with ventilators," he told reporters when asked about the pandemic crisis in India on the local election campaign trail.&nbsp;

"Thanks to the ventilator challenge, the huge efforts of British manufacturers, we're better able now to deliver ventilators to other countries. But also possibly with therapeutics, dexamethasone, other things, we'll look at what we can do to help," he said.&nbsp;

The Indian High Commission on Saturday issued an open appeal through social media for help to meet the rising demand for oxygen and medical supplies in India's devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian High Commission on Saturday issued an open appeal through social media for help to meet the rising demand for oxygen and medical supplies in India's devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It listed the required items as refillable oxygen cylinders, concentrators and the drug Remdesivir, used to treat severe COVID-19 cases. India has recorded nearly a million infections in three days, with 346,786 new cases on Saturday. "@HCILondon thanks all who have come forward to help in COVID19 situation. India needs: (i) Empty, refillable Oxygen cylinders with 10 litres and 45 litres LMO (liquid medical oxygen) capacity (ii) Oxygen concentrators (iii) in situ Oxygen manufacturing plants for hospitals & (iv) Remdesivir," reads the appeal on Twitter. It comes as several diaspora organisations have also been coordinating efforts to provide assistance and support, amid news of oxygen supply shortages at hospitals in New Delhi and other regions. "The Indian diaspora has huge confidence in Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and stand ready to help the government of India in any form they need," said Kuldeep Shekhawat, President of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) diaspora group, which held a virtual meeting to consider a donation drive for the Prime Minister's Relief Fund if required. On Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK is looking at ways to help and support India through the crisis. "We're looking at what we can do to help and support the people of India, possibly with ventilators," he told reporters when asked about the pandemic crisis in India on the local election campaign trail. "Thanks to the ventilator challenge, the huge efforts of British manufacturers, we're better able now to deliver ventilators to other countries. But also possibly with therapeutics, dexamethasone, other things, we'll look at what we can do to help," he said.

Indian High Commission in UK appeals for oxygen, medical supplies  

Air India will bring around 600 oxygen concentrators on its two US-India flights in the next two days, aviation industry sources said on Sunday.&nbsp;

These oxygen concentrators have been ordered by private entities, the sources mentioned.&nbsp;

Various hospitals across the country continue to grapple with a severe shortage of medical oxygen on Sunday even after receiving emergency supplies.&nbsp;

Twenty people died at Delhi's Jaipur Golden Hospital on Saturday, amid a shortage of oxygen.&nbsp;

Sources said Air India plans to bring around 10,000 oxygen concentrators for private entities in the coming weeks.&nbsp;

When asked about this matter, Air India spokesperson said the airline is prepared to shoulder the responsibility of carrying oxygen concentrators or any consignment into India.&nbsp;

"Obviously, Air India with its experience of international operations and wide-body fleet is fully capable of carrying a large volume of cargo consignments," the spokesperson mentioned.&nbsp;

"It goes without saying that we will continue to play a major role in transporting oxygen (equipment) and serve our nation in whatever role assigned to us," the spokesperson said.&nbsp;

A record single-day rise of 3,46,786 coronavirus cases pushed India's tally of infection to 1,66,10,481, while active cases crossed the 25-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.&nbsp;

The death toll rose to 1,89,544 with a record 2,624 more fatalities in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Air India will bring around 600 oxygen concentrators on its two US-India flights in the next two days, aviation industry sources said on Sunday. These oxygen concentrators have been ordered by private entities, the sources mentioned.

Air India will bring around 600 oxygen concentrators on its two US-India flights in the next two days, aviation industry sources said on Sunday. These oxygen concentrators have been ordered by private entities, the sources mentioned. Various hospitals across the country continue to grapple with a severe shortage of medical oxygen on Sunday even after receiving emergency supplies. Twenty people died at Delhi's Jaipur Golden Hospital on Saturday, amid a shortage of oxygen. Sources said Air India plans to bring around 10,000 oxygen concentrators for private entities in the coming weeks. When asked about this matter, Air India spokesperson said the airline is prepared to shoulder the responsibility of carrying oxygen concentrators or any consignment into India. "Obviously, Air India with its experience of international operations and wide-body fleet is fully capable of carrying a large volume of cargo consignments," the spokesperson mentioned. "It goes without saying that we will continue to play a major role in transporting oxygen (equipment) and serve our nation in whatever role assigned to us," the spokesperson said. A record single-day rise of 3,46,786 coronavirus cases pushed India's tally of infection to 1,66,10,481, while active cases crossed the 25-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. The death toll rose to 1,89,544 with a record 2,624 more fatalities in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Air India to bring 600 oxygen concentrators from US in next two days for private entities 

The Centre on Sunday barred the use of liquid oxygen for any non-medical purpose and asked manufacturing units to maximise its production and make it available to the government for medical use.&nbsp;

The order by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla came amid a scarcity of medical oxygen in many parts of the country, particularly in Delhi, that have been hit by a fresh wave of the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

After reviewing the oxygen supply situation, the government decided that no exception will be allowed to any industry on the use of liquid oxygen, modifying its earlier order that exempted a few select industries.&nbsp;

Exercising the powers conferred under the Disaster Management Act, the union home secretary directed the state and union territory governments to ensure that "use of liquid oxygen is not allowed for any non-medical purpose and all manufacturing units may maximise their production of liquid oxygen, and make it available to the government for use for medical purposes only, with immediate effect and until further orders."&nbsp;

Further, Bhalla directed that all stocks of liquid oxygen should also be made available to the government for use for medical purposes and no exception is allowed to any industry with regard to use of liquid oxygen.&nbsp;

The home secretary referred to various measures taken so far to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country.&nbsp;

He said it was considered necessary to restrict industrial usage of oxygen for ensuring availability of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country for management of COVID-19 patients and necessary order in this regard was issued on April 22 to restrict the use of industrial oxygen.&nbsp;

The central government has reviewed the oxygen supply situation and has decided that with immediate effect, use of liquid oxygen, including the existing stock, will be allowed for medical purposes only, and that all manufacturing units may be allowed to maximise their production of liquid oxygen, and make it available to the government, for use for medical purposes only, the order said.&nbsp;

The Centre on Sunday barred the use of liquid oxygen for any non-medical purpose and asked manufacturing units to maximise its production and make it available to the government for medical use.

The Centre on Sunday barred the use of liquid oxygen for any non-medical purpose and asked manufacturing units to maximise its production and make it available to the government for medical use. The order by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla came amid a scarcity of medical oxygen in many parts of the country, particularly in Delhi, that have been hit by a fresh wave of the coronavirus pandemic. After reviewing the oxygen supply situation, the government decided that no exception will be allowed to any industry on the use of liquid oxygen, modifying its earlier order that exempted a few select industries. Exercising the powers conferred under the Disaster Management Act, the union home secretary directed the state and union territory governments to ensure that "use of liquid oxygen is not allowed for any non-medical purpose and all manufacturing units may maximise their production of liquid oxygen, and make it available to the government for use for medical purposes only, with immediate effect and until further orders." Further, Bhalla directed that all stocks of liquid oxygen should also be made available to the government for use for medical purposes and no exception is allowed to any industry with regard to use of liquid oxygen. The home secretary referred to various measures taken so far to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country. He said it was considered necessary to restrict industrial usage of oxygen for ensuring availability of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country for management of COVID-19 patients and necessary order in this regard was issued on April 22 to restrict the use of industrial oxygen. The central government has reviewed the oxygen supply situation and has decided that with immediate effect, use of liquid oxygen, including the existing stock, will be allowed for medical purposes only, and that all manufacturing units may be allowed to maximise their production of liquid oxygen, and make it available to the government, for use for medical purposes only, the order said.

Indian Govt bars use of liquid oxygen for non-medical purposes, asks plants to maximise production 

Singapore on Saturday became the first country from which India procured essentials four oxygen tanks. India has been witnessing a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, leading to shortage of oxygen supply across various states.

Indian Air Force flies in 4 oxygen tanks from Singapore

The government on Sunday said it has directed all major ports to waive all charges for ships carrying oxygen and related equipment amid a massive surge in COVID-19 infections across the country.&nbsp;

In a statement, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said it has directed all major ports to accord the highest priority in the berthing sequence to the vessels carrying consignments of medical grade oxygen, oxygen tanks, oxygen bottles, portable oxygen generators and oxygen concentrators.&nbsp;

"In view of the excessive requirement of oxygen and related equipment in the country, the Government of India has directed all major ports, including the Kamarajar Port Limited, to waive-off all charges levied by major port trusts (including vessel-related charges, storage charges, etc)," the statement said.&nbsp;

Port chairpersons have been asked to personally supervise logistic operations to ensure unhindered movement of such consignments for berthing of such vessel on top priority in the port, unloading of oxygen-related cargo, coordination with customs and other authorities for speedy clearance, documentation and expeditious evacuation, it further said.&nbsp;

"We are facing an emergency situation due to the second wave of COVID-19. The major ports will start implementing the direction from today onwards," a senior government official said.&nbsp;

In case, the vessel is carrying other cargo or containers in addition to the said oxygen-related cargo, waiver of charges on a pro-rata basis, considering the overall cargo or containers handled at the port, should be provided for oxygen-related cargo to such vessels, the statement said.&nbsp;

The Ports Ministry will monitor the details of such vessels, cargo and time taken in the port from the time vessel entered in the port limits to exit of cargo from port gate.&nbsp;

The government on Saturday had waived customs duty on the import of vaccines as well as medical-grade oxygen and related equipment.&nbsp;

India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The government on Sunday said it has directed all major ports to waive all charges for ships carrying oxygen and related equipment amid a massive surge in COVID-19 infections across the country.

The government on Sunday said it has directed all major ports to waive all charges for ships carrying oxygen and related equipment amid a massive surge in COVID-19 infections across the country. In a statement, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said it has directed all major ports to accord the highest priority in the berthing sequence to the vessels carrying consignments of medical grade oxygen, oxygen tanks, oxygen bottles, portable oxygen generators and oxygen concentrators. "In view of the excessive requirement of oxygen and related equipment in the country, the Government of India has directed all major ports, including the Kamarajar Port Limited, to waive-off all charges levied by major port trusts (including vessel-related charges, storage charges, etc)," the statement said. Port chairpersons have been asked to personally supervise logistic operations to ensure unhindered movement of such consignments for berthing of such vessel on top priority in the port, unloading of oxygen-related cargo, coordination with customs and other authorities for speedy clearance, documentation and expeditious evacuation, it further said. "We are facing an emergency situation due to the second wave of COVID-19. The major ports will start implementing the direction from today onwards," a senior government official said. In case, the vessel is carrying other cargo or containers in addition to the said oxygen-related cargo, waiver of charges on a pro-rata basis, considering the overall cargo or containers handled at the port, should be provided for oxygen-related cargo to such vessels, the statement said. The Ports Ministry will monitor the details of such vessels, cargo and time taken in the port from the time vessel entered in the port limits to exit of cargo from port gate. The government on Saturday had waived customs duty on the import of vaccines as well as medical-grade oxygen and related equipment. India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. (With inputs from agencies)

Govt asks major ports to waive all charges for ships carrying oxygen, related equipment  

India, in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic, is trying to get as many cryogenic oxygen containers as possible globally, the country's envoy said on Sunday, after the Indian government airlifted four containers from Singapore on Saturday.&nbsp;

The Indian Air Force on Saturday brought four cryogenic tanks, to be used for transporting oxygen, from Singapore as the country scrambles to meet the spike in demand for medical oxygen amid a surge in COVID-19 infections.&nbsp;

The containers were airlifted from Singapore by C17 heavy-lift aircraft of the IAF.&nbsp;

India's High Commissioner to Singapore P Kumaran said that there will be more consignments in the coming days.&nbsp;

"We are trying to get as many cryogenic oxygen containers as we can from any part of the world," said Kumaran, adding that oxygen plants and concentrators are being contacted.&nbsp;

Acting swiftly to meet the high demand of oxygen requirements, India procured four containers of cryogenic O2 tanks from Singapore on Saturday.&nbsp;

The transfer of four containers of cryogenic oxygen tanks donated by Tata Group was moved from Singapore by the Indian Air Force, Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, LINDE GAS (Singapore) and the Changi Airport and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the Indian mission said in a Facebook post.&nbsp;

According to observers, Indian corporations with international network are supporting the Government of India's call in getting the cryogenic oxygen containers at the highest priority.&nbsp;

India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.&nbsp;

Since Friday, the IAF has been airlifting empty oxygen tankers and containers to various filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of the much-needed medical oxygen in treating COVID-19 patients.&nbsp;

On Friday, the Union Home Ministry said it was in talks for the import of high-capacity oxygen-carrying tankers from Singapore and the UAE. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

India, in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic, is trying to get as many cryogenic oxygen containers as possible globally, the country's envoy said on Sunday, after the Indian government airlifted four containers from Singapore on Saturday.

India, in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic, is trying to get as many cryogenic oxygen containers as possible globally, the country's envoy said on Sunday, after the Indian government airlifted four containers from Singapore on Saturday. The Indian Air Force on Saturday brought four cryogenic tanks, to be used for transporting oxygen, from Singapore as the country scrambles to meet the spike in demand for medical oxygen amid a surge in COVID-19 infections. The containers were airlifted from Singapore by C17 heavy-lift aircraft of the IAF. India's High Commissioner to Singapore P Kumaran said that there will be more consignments in the coming days. "We are trying to get as many cryogenic oxygen containers as we can from any part of the world," said Kumaran, adding that oxygen plants and concentrators are being contacted. Acting swiftly to meet the high demand of oxygen requirements, India procured four containers of cryogenic O2 tanks from Singapore on Saturday. The transfer of four containers of cryogenic oxygen tanks donated by Tata Group was moved from Singapore by the Indian Air Force, Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, LINDE GAS (Singapore) and the Changi Airport and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the Indian mission said in a Facebook post. According to observers, Indian corporations with international network are supporting the Government of India's call in getting the cryogenic oxygen containers at the highest priority. India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. Since Friday, the IAF has been airlifting empty oxygen tankers and containers to various filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of the much-needed medical oxygen in treating COVID-19 patients. On Friday, the Union Home Ministry said it was in talks for the import of high-capacity oxygen-carrying tankers from Singapore and the UAE. (With inputs from agencies)

India trying to get as many cryogenic oxygen containers as possible, says envoy in Singapore  

An Indonesian navy submarine that disappeared off the island of Bali this week with crew members on board is believed to have sunk, the country’s military said after recovering debris from the vessel.

Debris of missing Indonesian submarine found, Navy says it sank with dozens onboard

Chances of rescuing crew of mission Indonesian submarine appeared bleak on Saturday with the submarine's Oxygen reserves believed to have run out. Hundreds of military personnel have taken part so far in the hunt for KRI Nanggala 402 which disappeared on Wednesday during live torpedo training exercise off the Indonesian holiday island.

The authorities say that German-built submarine was equipped with enough Oxygen to last for three days after losing power.

The deadline passed early Saturday

The submarine -- one of five in Indonesia's fleet -- disappeared early Wednesday during live torpedo training exercises off the Indonesian holiday island.

Despite hopes for a miracle, an oil spill spotted where the submarine is thought to have submerged pointed to possible fuel-tank damage, fanning fears of a deadly disaster.

There are concerns of the submarine having broken apart as it sank.&nbsp;

The vessel was scheduled to conduct the training exercises when it asked for permission to dive. It lost contact shortly after.

Authorities have not offered possible explanations for the submarine's sudden disappearance or commented on questions about whether the decades-old vessel was overloaded.

Neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia as well as the United States and Australia were among nations helping in the hunt with nearly two dozen warships deployed to scour a search zone covering about 10 square nautical miles (34 square kilometres).

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Chances of rescuing crew of mission Indonesian submarine appeared bleak on Saturday with the submarine's Oxygen reserves believed to have run out. Hundreds of military personnel have taken part so far in the hunt for KRI Nanggala 402 which disappeared on Wednesday during live torpedo training exercise off the Indonesian holiday island.

Chances of rescuing crew of mission Indonesian submarine appeared bleak on Saturday with the submarine's Oxygen reserves believed to have run out. Hundreds of military personnel have taken part so far in the hunt for KRI Nanggala 402 which disappeared on Wednesday during live torpedo training exercise off the Indonesian holiday island. The authorities say that German-built submarine was equipped with enough Oxygen to last for three days after losing power. The deadline passed early Saturday The submarine -- one of five in Indonesia's fleet -- disappeared early Wednesday during live torpedo training exercises off the Indonesian holiday island. Despite hopes for a miracle, an oil spill spotted where the submarine is thought to have submerged pointed to possible fuel-tank damage, fanning fears of a deadly disaster. There are concerns of the submarine having broken apart as it sank. The vessel was scheduled to conduct the training exercises when it asked for permission to dive. It lost contact shortly after. Authorities have not offered possible explanations for the submarine's sudden disappearance or commented on questions about whether the decades-old vessel was overloaded. Neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia as well as the United States and Australia were among nations helping in the hunt with nearly two dozen warships deployed to scour a search zone covering about 10 square nautical miles (34 square kilometres). (With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia: Dwindling Oxygen fades hopes for submarine crew

The oxygen supply for the Indonesia's missing submarine is believed to have run out with no sign of the vessel. The Indonesian Navy's KRI Nanggala 402 submarine went missing on Wednesday, after it failed to re-emerge from its last reported dive in waters near Bali.

Oxygen believed to have run out in Indonesia's missing submarine

Like all things in the universe, our planet Earth too will fizzle out eventually. Scientists estimate that Earth has about five billion years before the Sun loses its energy, and swallows most of what is currently our solar system.&nbsp;

Think five billion years is a long time? Think again, for scientists now believe that the Earth will perish much before the Sun's existential shenanigans consume life on our planet.

A new study claims that Earth now has only a billion years before it slowly dies out. The planet will not be devoured by fire, a collision, or alien invasion, but actually will perish in the face of diminishing oxygen reserves.

Earth is already losing oxygen and will expel most of the life-sustaining gas from its atmosphere in a billion years' time.&nbsp; &nbsp;Currently, oxygen accounts for 20 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere. A lot of this is produced by plants on the planet, which keeps all creatures breathing.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-recently-created-artificial-glowing-clouds-in-the-earths-atmosphere-367174" hreflang="en">NASA recently created artificial glowing clouds in the Earth's atmosphere!</a>

Researchers from Georgia Tech and Toho University recently joined hands to ascertain the life span of oxygen in the planet's atmosphere, which in turn will essentially dictate how quickly life vanishes from Earth - an inevitable truth for all things born in the universe. They published their study in Nature Geoscience.

To reach a conclusion, scientists came up with simulations of basic systems on Earth - including climate, along with biological and geological processes which dictate the route of life. They observed the change in oxygen levels as the stimulation shuffled between air, water, and rock - the three basic tenets of earthly life.

In pics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/whats-behind-these-strange-stripes-in-russia-nasa-answers-367187">What's behind these strange stripes in Russia? NASA answers!</a> 
 
The atmosphere as we know it right now will continue to flourish for a billion years, after which it will begin to deteriorate rapidly. 1.1 billion years from now, oxygen levels are slated to drop to a whopping 1 per cent of the planet's current capability.

Beginning a billion years from now, the same old cycle of life will prevail on planet Earth, making it as desolate as it was 2.4 billion years ago.&nbsp;

Like all things in the universe, our planet Earth too will fizzle out eventually. Scientists estimate that Earth has about five billion years before the Sun loses its energy, and swallows most of what is currently our solar system.

Like all things in the universe, our planet Earth too will fizzle out eventually. Scientists estimate that Earth has about five billion years before the Sun loses its energy, and swallows most of what is currently our solar system. Think five billion years is a long time? Think again, for scientists now believe that the Earth will perish much before the Sun's existential shenanigans consume life on our planet. A new study claims that Earth now has only a billion years before it slowly dies out. The planet will not be devoured by fire, a collision, or alien invasion, but actually will perish in the face of diminishing oxygen reserves. Earth is already losing oxygen and will expel most of the life-sustaining gas from its atmosphere in a billion years' time. Currently, oxygen accounts for 20 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere. A lot of this is produced by plants on the planet, which keeps all creatures breathing. Also read: NASA recently created artificial glowing clouds in the Earth's atmosphere! Researchers from Georgia Tech and Toho University recently joined hands to ascertain the life span of oxygen in the planet's atmosphere, which in turn will essentially dictate how quickly life vanishes from Earth - an inevitable truth for all things born in the universe. They published their study in Nature Geoscience. To reach a conclusion, scientists came up with simulations of basic systems on Earth - including climate, along with biological and geological processes which dictate the route of life. They observed the change in oxygen levels as the stimulation shuffled between air, water, and rock - the three basic tenets of earthly life. In pics: What's behind these strange stripes in Russia? NASA answers! The atmosphere as we know it right now will continue to flourish for a billion years, after which it will begin to deteriorate rapidly. 1.1 billion years from now, oxygen levels are slated to drop to a whopping 1 per cent of the planet's current capability. Beginning a billion years from now, the same old cycle of life will prevail on planet Earth, making it as desolate as it was 2.4 billion years ago.

Why scientists believe life on Earth will perish way earlier than previously thought

Every coronavirus patient who was kept in the intensive care unit the Al-Husseiniya Central Hospital in Egypt reportedly died on Saturday owing to the lack of oxygen in the ward. 
 
The event was caught on camera by a patient’s relative in the hospital, which reportedly took place when oxygen levels at the hospital dropped to less than two per cent of the capacity, as reported by the Middle East Monitor.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/another-new-coronavirus-variant-found-in-nigeria-says-africa-cdc-352228/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

There simply wasn’t enough oxygen left to treat patients with coronavirus, leading to their demise.

According to the Middle East Eye, this marks the second such incident whereby lack of oxygen caused the death of patients. Just hours before this incident, patients at the ICU of the Zefta General Hospital also died.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/south-africa-coronavirus-variant-more-of-a-problem-than-the-one-in-uk-says-official-354534" hreflang="en">South Africa coronavirus variant 'more of a problem' than the one in UK, says official</a>

But Egyptian officials have denied such incidents, claiming that only four patients passed away at the Al-Husseiniya Central Hospital, claiming that none of these deaths were linked to oxygen shortage, but happened due to chronic diseases.&nbsp; 
 
The person responsible for filming at the ICU has been summoned by the police for questioning.

A member of Egyptian parliament however claimed that the oxygen shortage was actually responsible for the death, as reported by the Middle East Eye.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/norway-investigating-death-of-two-people-who-received-pfizers-coronavirus-vaccine-354716" hreflang="en">Norway investigating death of two people who received Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine</a> 
 
“The patients died as a result of negligence at the Al-Husseiniya hospital and the mismanagement of the oxygen shortage crisis,” MEE cited Rahmo as saying. 
 
The parliament member further said that the intensive care doctor had informed the hospital director of shortage in oxygen supply at least an hour before the incident.

Egypt has recorded 145,000 cases of coronavirus so far, with 7,918 deaths due to the virus. In addition, 115,000 people have recovered in the country.

In the last 24 hours, 1,119 new infections of the virus were reported in the country, and 55 new deaths were also lodged.

Every coronavirus patient who was kept in the intensive care unit the Al-Husseiniya Central Hospital in Egypt reportedly died on Saturday owing to the lack of oxygen in the ward.

Every coronavirus patient who was kept in the intensive care unit the Al-Husseiniya Central Hospital in Egypt reportedly died on Saturday owing to the lack of oxygen in the ward. The event was caught on camera by a patient’s relative in the hospital, which reportedly took place when oxygen levels at the hospital dropped to less than two per cent of the capacity, as reported by the Middle East Monitor. There simply wasn’t enough oxygen left to treat patients with coronavirus, leading to their demise. According to the Middle East Eye, this marks the second such incident whereby lack of oxygen caused the death of patients. Just hours before this incident, patients at the ICU of the Zefta General Hospital also died. Also read: South Africa coronavirus variant 'more of a problem' than the one in UK, says official But Egyptian officials have denied such incidents, claiming that only four patients passed away at the Al-Husseiniya Central Hospital, claiming that none of these deaths were linked to oxygen shortage, but happened due to chronic diseases. The person responsible for filming at the ICU has been summoned by the police for questioning. A member of Egyptian parliament however claimed that the oxygen shortage was actually responsible for the death, as reported by the Middle East Eye. Also read: Norway investigating death of two people who received Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine “The patients died as a result of negligence at the Al-Husseiniya hospital and the mismanagement of the oxygen shortage crisis,” MEE cited Rahmo as saying. The parliament member further said that the intensive care doctor had informed the hospital director of shortage in oxygen supply at least an hour before the incident. Egypt has recorded 145,000 cases of coronavirus so far, with 7,918 deaths due to the virus. In addition, 115,000 people have recovered in the country. In the last 24 hours, 1,119 new infections of the virus were reported in the country, and 55 new deaths were also lodged.

Shortage of oxygen kills every coronavirus patient in Egyptian hospital's ICU

A firm in the UK has won a European Space Agency contract to develop the technology to turn moon dust and rocks into oxygen.

The said process will leave behind aluminium, iron and other metal powders for lunar construction workers to build with.

This process, if proved successful, stands to pave the way for extraction facilities on the moon that make oxygen and valuable materials on the surface.

Analyses of rocks brought back from the moon reveal that oxygen makes up about 45% of the material by weight. The remainder is largely iron, aluminium and silicon.

In a separate study published this year, researchers found they could extract 96% of the oxygen from simulated lunar soil, leaving useful metal alloy powders behind.

The Esa contract will fund Metalysis for nine months to perfect an electrochemical process that releases oxygen from lunar dust and rocks by sending an electrical current through the material.

The process, already used on Earth, released oxygen as a byproduct of mineral extraction. To make it work for lunar explorers, the oxygen must be captured and stored.

Under the contract, the firm will try to boost the yield and purity of oxygen and metals from the rock.

The oxygen released from the lunar surface can be combined with other gases to produce breathable air.

A firm in the UK has won a European Space Agency contract to develop the technology to turn moon dust and rocks into oxygen. The said process will leave behind aluminium, iron and other metal powders for lunar construction workers to build with.

A firm in the UK has won a European Space Agency contract to develop the technology to turn moon dust and rocks into oxygen. The said process will leave behind aluminium, iron and other metal powders for lunar construction workers to build with. This process, if proved successful, stands to pave the way for extraction facilities on the moon that make oxygen and valuable materials on the surface. Analyses of rocks brought back from the moon reveal that oxygen makes up about 45% of the material by weight. The remainder is largely iron, aluminium and silicon. In a separate study published this year, researchers found they could extract 96% of the oxygen from simulated lunar soil, leaving useful metal alloy powders behind. The Esa contract will fund Metalysis for nine months to perfect an electrochemical process that releases oxygen from lunar dust and rocks by sending an electrical current through the material. The process, already used on Earth, released oxygen as a byproduct of mineral extraction. To make it work for lunar explorers, the oxygen must be captured and stored. Under the contract, the firm will try to boost the yield and purity of oxygen and metals from the rock. The oxygen released from the lunar surface can be combined with other gases to produce breathable air.

UK firm plans to turn moon rock into oxygen, building materials

With a rapid increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning of possible shortage of oxygen in the world.

The number of positive cases is nearing 10 million and more than 480,000 deaths, only few months after the pandemic started. Following that, WHO has issued a warning.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-brazil-witnesses-surge-in-cases-death-toll-goes-past-53000-308429">Also read|&nbsp;Coronavirus: Brazil witnesses surge in cases; death-toll goes past 53,000</a>

“Many countries are now experiencing difficulties obtaining oxygen concentrators,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Demand is currently outstripping supply.”

WHO has bought nearly 14,000 oxygen concentrators from manufacturers and aims to supply them to&nbsp;120 countries in coming weeks. The organisation also plans to get additional 170,000 concentrators – worth about US$100m – in the next six months.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-us-records-highest-single-day-spike-california-texas-among-states-worst-hit-308413">Also read|&nbsp;COVID-19: US records highest single day spike; California, Texas among states worst-hit</a>

The warning was issued as many countries such as India, the US, Brazil, among others, ave been reporting record high daily spike in number of positive cases. The WHO also expressed concern over the sudden increase of 25-50 per cent cases in a week in the Latin American countries. The experts have predicted that the death toll in Latin America is expected to skyrocket to 390,000 by October.

“I would characterise the situation in the Americas in general as still evolving, not having reached its peak yet, and likely to result in sustained numbers of cases and continued deaths,” said the&nbsp;head of the WHO emergencies programme, Dr Mike Ryan.

India, today, reported 16,922 cases. Brazil reported 42,725 cases and the US reported&nbsp;35,900 cases.&nbsp;

The world tally stands at around 9.39 million cases, including more than 481,000 deaths and almost 4.72 million recovered patients.

(With inputs from agencies)

With a rapid increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning of possible shortage of oxygen in the world.

With a rapid increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning of possible shortage of oxygen in the world. The number of positive cases is nearing 10 million and more than 480,000 deaths, only few months after the pandemic started. Following that, WHO has issued a warning. Also read| Coronavirus: Brazil witnesses surge in cases; death-toll goes past 53,000 “Many countries are now experiencing difficulties obtaining oxygen concentrators,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Demand is currently outstripping supply.” WHO has bought nearly 14,000 oxygen concentrators from manufacturers and aims to supply them to 120 countries in coming weeks. The organisation also plans to get additional 170,000 concentrators – worth about US$100m – in the next six months. Also read| COVID-19: US records highest single day spike; California, Texas among states worst-hit The warning was issued as many countries such as India, the US, Brazil, among others, ave been reporting record high daily spike in number of positive cases. The WHO also expressed concern over the sudden increase of 25-50 per cent cases in a week in the Latin American countries. The experts have predicted that the death toll in Latin America is expected to skyrocket to 390,000 by October. “I would characterise the situation in the Americas in general as still evolving, not having reached its peak yet, and likely to result in sustained numbers of cases and continued deaths,” said the head of the WHO emergencies programme, Dr Mike Ryan. India, today, reported 16,922 cases. Brazil reported 42,725 cases and the US reported 35,900 cases. The world tally stands at around 9.39 million cases, including more than 481,000 deaths and almost 4.72 million recovered patients. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID 19: WHO warns possible lack of oxygen as cases near 10 million

Amid the pandemic, the South American nation Peru, is fighting another battle. Oxygen is becoming a scarce commodity for people suffering from the novel coronavirus in Peru.

President Martín Vizcarra has issued an emergency order asking industrial plants to ramp up production or purchase oxygen from other countries.

The oxygen crisis has attracted a lot of criticism as Peru nears the lungs of the Earth -- Amazon rainforests.

“Peru, with the Amazon, has the lungs of the planet,” said Ivan Hidalgo, academic director of the Institute of Government and Public Management in Peru''s capital of Lima. “And we're dying because of lack of oxygen.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chile-covid-19-deaths-increase-by-53-in-one-week-total-cases-now-122000-303783">Also read|&nbsp;Chile: COVID-19 deaths increase by 53% in one week, total cases now 122,000</a>

Experts believe the oxygen crisis is severe and will cause more severe human damage.&nbsp; The oxygen shortage is so acute, according to experts, that&nbsp;even by turning industrial plants that typically produce oxygen for mining into medicinal production, the shortage will continue.

Local health directors and experts have claimed that hundreds of people have lost their lives due to the lack of oxygen tanks in the hospitals, and more casualties can occur in the near future due to the crisis.

Locals have also claimed that the available oxygen tanks are so expensive that people have had to sell various commodities to buy the tanks for their family members suffering from the coronavirus.

Defence Minister Walter Martos said Thursday the country needs 173 tons of oxygen per day. The dean of the Medical College of Peru estimates the nation is producing about 20% of that.

Experts have blamed this oxygen crisis on poor investment in the medical sector. Local doctors have also accused the government of not paying heed to the warnings given by the medical experts.

The Peru government has assured to go to every limit to get the needed oxygen tanks and help the ailing patients.

(With inputs from agencies)

Amid the pandemic, the South American nation Peru, is fighting another battle. Oxygen is becoming a scarce commodity for people suffering from the novel coronavirus in Peru.

Amid the pandemic, the South American nation Peru, is fighting another battle. Oxygen is becoming a scarce commodity for people suffering from the novel coronavirus in Peru. President Martín Vizcarra has issued an emergency order asking industrial plants to ramp up production or purchase oxygen from other countries. The oxygen crisis has attracted a lot of criticism as Peru nears the lungs of the Earth -- Amazon rainforests. “Peru, with the Amazon, has the lungs of the planet,” said Ivan Hidalgo, academic director of the Institute of Government and Public Management in Peru''s capital of Lima. “And we're dying because of lack of oxygen.” Also read| Chile: COVID-19 deaths increase by 53% in one week, total cases now 122,000 Experts believe the oxygen crisis is severe and will cause more severe human damage. The oxygen shortage is so acute, according to experts, that even by turning industrial plants that typically produce oxygen for mining into medicinal production, the shortage will continue. Local health directors and experts have claimed that hundreds of people have lost their lives due to the lack of oxygen tanks in the hospitals, and more casualties can occur in the near future due to the crisis. Locals have also claimed that the available oxygen tanks are so expensive that people have had to sell various commodities to buy the tanks for their family members suffering from the coronavirus. Defence Minister Walter Martos said Thursday the country needs 173 tons of oxygen per day. The dean of the Medical College of Peru estimates the nation is producing about 20% of that. Experts have blamed this oxygen crisis on poor investment in the medical sector. Local doctors have also accused the government of not paying heed to the warnings given by the medical experts. The Peru government has assured to go to every limit to get the needed oxygen tanks and help the ailing patients. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID 19 patients in Peru are struggling for oxygen

Earth may have been a water world covered by global ocean 3.2 billion years ago according to a new study.

The study which has published in Nature Geoscience suggests that in its early years, Earth may have looked like a post-apocalyptic water world.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earth-has-a-new-mini-moon-about-the-size-of-a-car-283144">Earth has a new 'mini-moon' about the&nbsp;size of a car</a>

In order to gather data, researchers analyzed more than 100 rock samples from across a dry area known as Panorama that's located in northwestern Australia's outback.&nbsp;

Scientists compared it to analyzing coffee grounds to learn more about the water that flowed through it.

Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-a-first-water-found-on-earth-like-planet-beyond-our-solar-system-249176">In a first, water found on earth-like planet beyond our solar system</a>

''An early Earth without emergent continents may have resembled a water world, providing an important environmental constraint on the origin and evolution of life on Earth, as well as its possible existence elsewhere,'' the study stated.

The scientists focused on different types of oxygen that seawater had carried into the crust.&nbsp;

In particular, they analysed the relative amounts of two isotopes, oxygen-16 and the ever-so-slightly-heavier oxygen-18, in more than 100 samples of the stone.

They found that seawater contained more oxygen-18 when the crust was formed 3.2 billion&nbsp;years ago.&nbsp;

The most plausible explanation according to them is that Earth had no continents at the time, because when these form, the clays they contain absorb the ocean’s heavy oxygen isotopes.

Earth may have been a water world covered by global ocean 3.2 billion years ago according to a new study. The study which has published in Nature Geoscience suggests that in its early years, Earth may have looked like a post-apocalyptic water world.

Earth may have been a water world covered by global ocean 3.2 billion years ago according to a new study. The study which has published in Nature Geoscience suggests that in its early years, Earth may have looked like a post-apocalyptic water world. Also read: Earth has a new 'mini-moon' about the size of a car In order to gather data, researchers analyzed more than 100 rock samples from across a dry area known as Panorama that's located in northwestern Australia's outback. Scientists compared it to analyzing coffee grounds to learn more about the water that flowed through it. Also see: In a first, water found on earth-like planet beyond our solar system ''An early Earth without emergent continents may have resembled a water world, providing an important environmental constraint on the origin and evolution of life on Earth, as well as its possible existence elsewhere,'' the study stated. The scientists focused on different types of oxygen that seawater had carried into the crust. In particular, they analysed the relative amounts of two isotopes, oxygen-16 and the ever-so-slightly-heavier oxygen-18, in more than 100 samples of the stone. They found that seawater contained more oxygen-18 when the crust was formed 3.2 billion years ago. The most plausible explanation according to them is that Earth had no continents at the time, because when these form, the clays they contain absorb the ocean’s heavy oxygen isotopes.

Earth may have been a 'water world' 3 billion years ago: Study

A puff of fresh air is all for what the Indian capital New Delhi is gasping for over the last 15-20 days as air quality is hovering from 'poor' to 'severe plus' category since late October. Although its effects are unproven, middle-aged and elderly residents were flocking to 'Oxygen bar', that is offering the city a 15-minute session to inhale a cocktail of oxygen in different flavours, for 500 rupees ($7).

Delhi Odd-Even scheme ends today, ‘Oxygen Bar’ sells puff of fresh air to pollution-hit Delhi

Two Americans and a Briton won the 2019&nbsp;Nobel&nbsp;Medicine&nbsp;Prize&nbsp;on Monday for discovering a molecular switch that regulates how cells adapt to fluctuating oxygen levels, opening up new approaches to treating heart failure, anaemia and cancer.

William Kaelin at the US&nbsp;Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School said he was overwhelmed to get a pre-dawn call to say he and two other doctors, Gregg Semenza of Johns Hopkins University and Peter Ratcliffe of Oxford University, had won the&nbsp;$913,000&nbsp;prize.

"I don't usually get phone calls at 5 am, but I knew this was 'Nobel&nbsp;Monday', so it was either going to be a poorly timed mobile call or extremely good news," he told Reuters by telephone. "My heart started racing. It was almost surreal."

Ratcliffe, who is also clinical research director at the Francis Crick Institute in London, said in a statement he was "honoured and delighted at the news".

The scientists' work established the basis for the understanding of how oxygen levels are sensed by cells - a discovery that is being explored by medical researchers seeking to develop treatments for various diseases that work by either activating or blocking the body's oxygen-sensing machinery.

Their work centres on the hypoxic response - the way the body reacts to oxygen flux - and "revealed the elegant mechanisms by which our cells sense oxygen levels and respond" said Andrew Murray, an expert at Britain's University of Cambridge who congratulated the three. 
 
'Vital ingredient'

"Oxygen is a vital ingredient for the survival of every cell in our bodies. Too little – or too much – can spell disaster.&nbsp;Understanding how evolution has equipped cells to detect and respond to fluctuating oxygen levels helps answer fundamental questions," said Venki Ramakrishnan, president of Britain's Royal Society scientific academy.

"As (this) work.. shows us, it also gives insights into the way these processes continue to shape our health and wellbeing."

Randall Johnson, a professor at Sweden's Karolinska Institute where the&nbsp;prize&nbsp;is awarded, said it was "a&nbsp;prize&nbsp;that really tells us the fundamental truth about how cells work".

During exercise, for example, the body uses oxygen at a rapid pace, "and this is a switch that helps the cell figure out how much oxygen it's getting and how it should behave."

"If you have a stroke there's suddenly no oxygen going to the brain... Those cells, if they are going to survive, need to find a way to adapt to that level of oxygen," he said.

Medicine&nbsp;is the first of the&nbsp;Nobel&nbsp;Prizes given each year. The&nbsp;prizes for achievements in science, peace and literature have been awarded since 1901 and were created in the will of dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred&nbsp;Nobel.

Nobel&nbsp;medicine&nbsp;laureates have included scientific greats such as Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, and Karl Landsteiner, who identified separate blood types and so enabled safe transfusions to be widely introduced.

Thomas Perlmann, a member of the&nbsp;Nobel&nbsp;Assembly, said he had reached Kaelin by phone early on Monday to tell him on the award. "He was really happy, almost speechless," Perlmann said.

Last year American James Allison and Japanese Tasuku Honjo won the&nbsp;prize&nbsp;for discoveries about how to harness the immune system in cancer therapies.

Two Americans and a Briton won the 2019 Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday for discovering a molecular switch that regulates how cells adapt to fluctuating oxygen levels, opening up new approaches to treating heart failure, anaemia and cancer.

Two Americans and a Briton won the 2019 Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday for discovering a molecular switch that regulates how cells adapt to fluctuating oxygen levels, opening up new approaches to treating heart failure, anaemia and cancer. William Kaelin at the US Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School said he was overwhelmed to get a pre-dawn call to say he and two other doctors, Gregg Semenza of Johns Hopkins University and Peter Ratcliffe of Oxford University, had won the $913,000 prize. "I don't usually get phone calls at 5 am, but I knew this was 'Nobel Monday', so it was either going to be a poorly timed mobile call or extremely good news," he told Reuters by telephone. "My heart started racing. It was almost surreal." Ratcliffe, who is also clinical research director at the Francis Crick Institute in London, said in a statement he was "honoured and delighted at the news". The scientists' work established the basis for the understanding of how oxygen levels are sensed by cells - a discovery that is being explored by medical researchers seeking to develop treatments for various diseases that work by either activating or blocking the body's oxygen-sensing machinery. Their work centres on the hypoxic response - the way the body reacts to oxygen flux - and "revealed the elegant mechanisms by which our cells sense oxygen levels and respond" said Andrew Murray, an expert at Britain's University of Cambridge who congratulated the three. 'Vital ingredient' "Oxygen is a vital ingredient for the survival of every cell in our bodies. Too little – or too much – can spell disaster. Understanding how evolution has equipped cells to detect and respond to fluctuating oxygen levels helps answer fundamental questions," said Venki Ramakrishnan, president of Britain's Royal Society scientific academy. "As (this) work.. shows us, it also gives insights into the way these processes continue to shape our health and wellbeing." Randall Johnson, a professor at Sweden's Karolinska Institute where the prize is awarded, said it was "a prize that really tells us the fundamental truth about how cells work". During exercise, for example, the body uses oxygen at a rapid pace, "and this is a switch that helps the cell figure out how much oxygen it's getting and how it should behave." "If you have a stroke there's suddenly no oxygen going to the brain... Those cells, if they are going to survive, need to find a way to adapt to that level of oxygen," he said. Medicine is the first of the Nobel Prizes given each year. The prizes for achievements in science, peace and literature have been awarded since 1901 and were created in the will of dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel. Nobel medicine laureates have included scientific greats such as Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, and Karl Landsteiner, who identified separate blood types and so enabled safe transfusions to be widely introduced. Thomas Perlmann, a member of the Nobel Assembly, said he had reached Kaelin by phone early on Monday to tell him on the award. "He was really happy, almost speechless," Perlmann said. Last year American James Allison and Japanese Tasuku Honjo won the prize for discoveries about how to harness the immune system in cancer therapies.

Nobel Medicine Prize won by doctors for work on cells' response to oxygen

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