Medical personnel transfer an injured person to a hospital in Peshawar. File

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

At least seven coronavirus patients have died at the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) in Peshawar as oxygen cylinders failed to reach on time from Rawalpindi.

Hospital authorities said that the incident took place when the coronavirus patients died due to non-supply of continuous oxygen.

Police officers guards at the entrance of the Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar.

They said that the patients in other wards of the hospital were also facing difficulties due to the absence of oxygen cylinders. The hospital spokesman said the facility receives oxygen cylinders from Rawalpindi.” "Cylinders from Rawalpindi did not arrive on time."

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He said that the patients are in need of more oxygen during winters, adding that the hospital was carrying out a probe to find out why the cylinders did not reach in time.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Minister Taimur Jhagra tweeted about the incident, saying that he has directed the hospital's board of governors (BoG) to complete an inquiry and take action within two days.

"There was an incident at KTH last night involving a shortage of oxygen supply. I have directed the BoG to conduct an immediate inquiry and take action within 48 hours. If found unsatisfactory, or if otherwise required, the government will immediately order its own independent inquiry," he tweeted.

"All the facts of the case will be made public. A request meanwhile to not circulate unverified information on social media. Neither this, nor any other incident will be left unused, to improve the health system; it's service; and it's system of accountability and transparency.”