India's gov't eases hospital oxygen shortage as demand jumps

Under order by the Supreme Court, India's government has agreed to provide more medical oxygen to hospitals in the capital, potentially easing a 2-week-old shortage that worsened the country's exploding coronavirus crisis.

Officials also denied reports that they have been slow in distributing life-saving supplies donated from abroad.

The Supreme Court intervened in the supply of oxygen in New Delhi after 12 COVID-19 patients, including a senior doctor, died at a hospital when it ran out of oxygen for 80 minutes last week.

On Thursday, the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases breached 400,000 for the second time since the devastating surge began last month.