BENGALURU, May 3 : At least 23 patients died at a government hospital in Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka in the wee hours of Monday after the oxygen supply dropped, officials said.

“The deaths were reported after there was a fall in oxygen supply level between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. on wee hours of Monday, where at least 144 patients are being treated,” a senior official at the hospital said.

A statement released by the Chief Minister’s office here, stated that Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has spoken to the district collector over the incident and called an emergency Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Home Minister Basavaraja Bommai, meanwhile, has asked the DGP Praveen Sood to investigate the matter and submit a comprehensive report for further action.

Chamarajanagar district in charge minister, S. Suresh Kumar said that it was not proper to attribute all deaths due to oxygen shortage as the state government was investigating the matter. “I am visiting there to find out about the matter,” he said this before leaving from Bengaluru to Chamarajnagar.

Health Minister, K. Sudhakar too left from Bengaluru for Chamarajnagar, to take stock of the situation. “It is very saddening to know about such incident. We do not have complete information yet,” he said.

Mysuru MP, Pratap Simha, said, “Last night, when media people drew my attention to the situation of oxygen shortage in Chamarajnagar district, I myself contacted DC Ravi and took a conference call with ADC who is in charge of oxygen. At night itself I contacted Southern Gas and they provided 15 cylinders. Despite all this, this sad incident occurred. Chamarajnagar is not some far away place. We feel it is a part of us. We are part of their sorrow.”

The district has recorded a total of 11,928 cases of COVID-19 infection since the beginning of the pandemic. At least 167 people have died due to the virus until Sunday.

IANS