At least 11 Covid-19 patients die from oxygen shortage in Indian hospital | Agencia EFE

At least 11 coronavirus patients died from lack of oxygen in a hospital in southern India, after the tanker bringing medical oxygen was delayed, in what is the latest incident of this type in the country amid an unprecedented health crisis, official sources reported Tuesday.

The incident occurred overnight at the SVR Ruia hospital in Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh state, when the oxygen supply to Covid-19 patients in the ICU was disrupted for a few minutes, head of district administration, Hari Narayanan, told the media.

"Due to oxygen pressure issues, 11 patients who were on ventilator support lost their lives. This happened in a span of five minutes. The oxygen tanker arrived and the situation was quickly brought under control," explained Narayanan.

While the oxygen tanker - coming from Chennai, a city 130 kilometers (81 miles) away - was delayed, the hospital tried to use oxygen cylinders to make up for the shortage, according to the local newspaper The New Indian Express.

"There is no issue now and there is no need to worry. Everyone is safe," said Narayanan. A second oxygen tanker was expected to arrive soon at the 700-bed hospital.

Images of the tragedy soon began to flood social media, showing family members and doctors trying to keep patients alive, while vetilators were beeping and showing a red light indicating a lack of oxygen.