"It's Like A War": Inside A Delhi Hospital Desperate For Oxygen

"We always anticipated a second wave in April and May, but we never knew it would hit us so hard and so fast," said Mr Raza, the director of emergency and trauma at Moolchand Hospital. "They arrive gasping and they all need oxygen."

At his crowded emergency room in central Delhi, Ali Raza can't focus much on when the next delivery of oxygen will arrive -- 12 of his 20 doctors are down with Covid-19, and the patients just keep coming. Bloomberg's @rpollard reporting from inside a hospital in New Delhi for us - India is currently fighting the world's worst #Covid crisis 🇮🇳 https://t.co/vbtVr5hNHk Urgent sos help. We have less than 2 hours of oxygen supply @Moolchand_Hosp. We are desperate have tried all the nodal officer numbers but unable to connect. Have over 135 COVID pts with many on life support #. @ArvindKejriwal@CMODelhi@LtGovDelhi@satinderjain26@PMOIndia 🙏 "We always anticipated a second wave in April and May, but we never knew it would hit us so hard and so fast," said Mr Raza, the director of emergency and trauma at Moolchand Hospital. "They arrive gasping and they all need oxygen." Outside the ward's double doors, Gagandeep Trehan had just found out there was no bed or oxygen available for his uncle, who was struggling to breath. Trehan had driven 310 kilometers (192 miles) to Delhi from the northern state of Punjab in search of a bed, his car packed with four oxygen tanks to keep his uncle alive. Six hospitals had already turned him away and he was about to get back in his car and try number seven. "I am scared he won't live if he isn't treated," Mr Trehan said. "I am ready to pay any amount for a hospital bed."