The medical oxygen demand in Maharashtra for Covid-19 and other patients went up from 270 metric tonnes to 350 metric tonnes recently, though this is just a fraction of the 1700-2000 MT required when the pandemic was peaking during earlier periods, state health minister Rajesh Tope said.

While the number of fresh cases was doubling every two to the three days, due to which a fresh set of restrictions had to be announced statewide on January 8, the oxygen demand and hospital bed occupancy were low, he informed. "The need for oxygen has gone up but it is nominal. It has increased for Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients from 270 metric tonnes to 350 metric tonnes. During the earlier periods, the demand was as high as 1700-2000 metric tonnes," the minister told reporters in Jalna.