Rajasthan reports 18,231 new coronavirus cases, 164 fatalities on May 7

Rajasthan reported 18,231 new COVID-19 cases and 164 fatalities on Friday, pushing the state's infection tally to 7,20,799 and the death toll to 5,346.

State capital Jaipur reported the highest number of 48 deaths and 4,902 new cases, according to an official report.

A total of 5,16,306 COVID-19 patients have recovered in the state so far, and the number of active cases stands at 1,99,147, it said.

Health Minister Raghu Sharma said the state government has planned to procure 50,000 oxygen concentrators this month to address the shortage of the life-saving gas.

An order has already been placed for 1,250 oxygen concentrators. The first lot of 100 units is arriving in Jaipur on Friday from Russia, and by next week, a total of 1,250 concentrators will reach the city, he said.

"We hope to procure 50,000 concentrators in the month of May," Sharma said.

He said a committee of three IAS officers was looking into the procurement process, and it has spoken to concentrator manufacturers in India, Russia, China, and Dubai.

Sharma said the state requires 615 MT of oxygen but the Centre has allotted only 270 MT. There is also the problem of transportation due to long distance and shortage of tankers, he added.

The minister said the procurement of the oxygen concentrators will ease the requirement of the gas in the state.

He also visited the ESI hospital during the day to review the arrangements at the facility.