chennai eleven covid19 patients died gasping for breath after midnight on wednesday at chengalpet government medical college hospital as pressure in the oxygen lines dropped suddenly possibly because of a faulty valveearlier on tuesday afternoon pressure had dropped in a similar fashion leaving two patients dead pressure had been restored immediately and normal supply resumed but around midnight the pressure dropped again drastically and within two hours 11 people had dieda patient in the icu said he watched helplessly as a woman two beds away struggled for breath and passed away the fear that you could be next is the worst thing that can happen to anyone he saidhospital authorities said they had replaced a coil near the main valve of the oxygen pipelines last week and consumption had nearly doubled ever since even when there was no increase in the number of patientswitnesses said doctors and nurses rushed around trying to save children and adults using handheld devices and portable oxygen cylinders they also had to face frantic relatives of patients who insisted their people be attended to first amid the chaos pressure was restored by 2am the hospital had 447 patients on tuesday and almost 70 required oxygen supportchengalpet district collector a john louis said oxygen consumption almost doubled on tuesday compared to the usual levels and continuous efforts were taken to ensure that supply was not interrupted he has ordered an investigation oxygen supply was not interrupted at the hospital i was there on the field last night and personally monitored the situation he saidmeanwhile duty doctors at the hospital staged a protest within the premises on wednesday morning relatives of people who choked to death were furious with us and no one came to our aid between midnight and 2am said one of them protesting doctors said they were shortstaffed and overburdened the hospital has covid patients on eight different floors in three buildings each floor is managed by one doctor and a maximum of two nurses so it becomes difficult to handle the situation even when two patients need immediate medical attention a duty doctor told toi requesting anonymity