Children Death toll rises to 64 due lack of oxygen in Indian government hospital
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LUCKNOW: At least 64 children have died over six days at a government hospital in northern India that suffered oxygen shortages, officials said Saturday.
Authorities have launched an inquiry into the causes of the oxygen disruption but denied reports that it had caused the deaths at the Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh state.
Indian media said 30 children died on Thursday and Friday because of the lack of oxygen on wards. Suppliers´ bills had allegedly not been paid.
"Sixty patients have died at the hospital in the last five days but we don´t think it´s linked to reports of oxygen shortage," Anil Kumar, Gorakhpur´s divisional commissioner told AFP.
State health minister Sidharth Nath Singh announced later that four more deaths had been reported Saturday, taking the toll to 64 over the six days starting Monday.
