As the number of Covid patients in the state is increasing, companies supplying oxygen in Maharashtra will have to mandatorily deliver 80 per cent of their production to hospitals and 20 per cent to the industries, said State Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Sunday.

In a media statement, Tope said that a new order would be in force in the state till December. Using the provisions of the Infectious Diseases Control Act and the Disaster Management Act the order has been issued.

Steel, glass, ceramics, pulp and paper manufacturing industries are a very large consumer of oxygen. In many industrial processes, it plays a vital role.

Presently about 60 per cent oxygen is supplied to the industrial sector and rest to the hospitals. However, due to the pandemic, more supply will have to be mandatorily provided to the hospitals. Care is being taken so that the patients do not suffer from a short supply of oxygen, the Minister said in the statement.

Meanwhile, 23,350 new cases in the state were reported in the state today, with 328 deaths. The fatality rate in the state is 2.93 per cent. As on date, there are 2.35 lakh active cases. Out of 46.47 lakh laboratory samples, 9.07 lakh have been tested positive (19.52%) for Covid until today, a media statement issued by the Public Health Department.

The state also has 14.96 lakh people, in-home quarantine and 38,509 people in institutional quarantine.

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