Manipur’s Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital on Friday announced the cancellation of routine medical work by all departments from May 1 until further notice. The hospital said it was taking the decision in view of the acute shortage of oxygen and massive surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases.

Superintendent of RIMS Hospital, Prof H Priyoshakhi Devi, stated that, ‘Due to an acute shortage of oxygen and the increasing number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital, routine work by all departments of RIMS shall be canceled with effective from May 1 until further notice’.

The patients in particular and the public in general are requested to bear with us, the hospital said.

At present, Manipur has two oxygen plants, at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and at RIMS, catering to the COVID-19 wards and units.

In order to have adequate oxygen supply, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh earlier said that two more oxygen generating plants were being set up in Thoubal and Churachandpur districts. The plants would be functional in the next 10-15 days.

The healthcare sector in Manipur has been in crisis ever since the second wave was reported last month, leading to a massive spike in COVID-19 positive cases. On Thursday, at least 314 people, including 19 personnel of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) were among the new infections, taking the total confirmed cases to 31,315.