Indian hospitals overwhelmed by COVID surge as beds, oxygen fall short

Patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) get treatment at the casualty ward in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital, amidst the spread of the disease in New Delhi, India April 15, 2021.

A patient suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is wheeled from the casualty ward in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital, amidst the spread of the disease in New Delhi, India April 15, 2021.

A patient with a breathing problem wears an oxygen mask as she lies inside an ambulance waiting in a queue to enter a COVID-19 hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A patient with breathing problems is wheeled inside a COVID-19 hospital for treatment, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021. Image used for illustrative purpose

A patient with breathing problems wears an oxygen mask as he waits inside an ambulance in a queue to enter a COVID-19 hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A patient with breathing problems wears an oxygen mask as she waits inside an ambulance in a queue to enter a COVID-19 hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

Patients with breathing problems wear oxygen masks as they wait inside an ambulance in a queue to enter a COVID-19 hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A patient with breathing problems is wheeled inside a COVID-19 hospital for treatment, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

Patients with breathing problems wear oxygen masks as they wait inside ambulances in a queue to enter a COVID-19 hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A healthcare worker prepares to load the body of a man who died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), into an ambulance at a COVID-19 hospital in Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A woman is consoled after her husband died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outside a mortuary of a COVID-19 hospital in New Delhi, India, April 15, 2021.

A woman mourns after her father died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outside a mortuary of a COVID-19 hospital in New Delhi, India, April 15, 2021.

A patient lies in a bed as she is being shifted to a hospital for treatment, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ahmedabad, India, April 15, 2021.

A man wearing a protective suit sits next to the bodies of the victims of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) inside an ambulance at a mortuary of a COVID-19 hospital in Ahmedabad, India, April 15, 2021.

Patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) get treatment at the casualty ward in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital, amidst the spread of the disease in New Delhi, India April 15, 2021.

Body of man who died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is loaded in to an ambulance at the casualty ward in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital, amidst the spread of the disease in New Delhi, India April 15, 2021.

A frontline worker in personal protective equipment (PPE) sprays a flammable liquid on a burning funeral pyre of a man who died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a crematorium on the outskirts of Mumbai India, April 15, 2021.

A patient with breathing problem is rushed to a hospital for treatment, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ahmedabad, India, April 15, 2021.

Patients sit on bed waiting to be moved to a hospital, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A patient with breathing problems is helped aboard an ambulance as she is being shifted to a hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A paramedic adjusts an oxygen mask on a patient with breathing problems inside an ambulance waiting in a queue to enter a COVID-19 hospital, amidst the coronavirus disease pandemic, Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A patient lies inside an ambulance waiting in a queue to enter a COVID-19 hospital, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A patient wearing an oxygen mask sits on a bed as he is being shifted to a hospital for treatment, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ahmedabad, India, April 15, 2021.

Patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) get treatment at the casualty ward in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital, amidst the spread of the disease in New Delhi, India April 15, 2021.

A patient suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) gets treatment at the casualty ward in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital, amidst the spread of the disease in New Delhi, India April 15, 2021.

A patient with breathing problem is helped to walk towards an ambulance as he is being shifted to a hospital, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ahmedabad, India, April 14, 2021.

A woman is consoled by her children after her husband died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outside a mortuary of a COVID-19 hospital in New Delhi, India, April 15, 2021.