Algeria seeks more oxygen for COVID-19 sick amid shortage

Algerians wait to receive free oxygen tanks offered by a private company in the northern city of Blida amid the Covid-19 pandemic as the country has been hit by rising cases and constrained by a patchy inoculation rollout.

The Delta variant caused 71% of total infections for July, according to the state research centre Pasteur Institute.

Civilians are helping in the oxygen search, as the number of infection increases.

"We are looking for oxygen tanks for people who are in difficulty, here they are doing a good deed, they are distributing them for free. Even if it is by ration, it allows us to save what we are doing" said Farouk Touileb, ambulance driver.

"We are civilians, volunteers from El-Affroun hospital, and we thank the company TechniGas because last time they stayed with us all night until 6 in the morning, which saved us from a shortage. The trucks that were contracted to supply the hospital with oxygen tanks had nnot arrived in time." added Ryad Akli, lawyer, hospital volunteer.

According to Africa CDC ,29 countries are experiencing a more aggressive third wave than the previous second wave, and two countries – Algeria and Tunisia – are already seeing a fourth wave.

Since the pandemic began early last year, the North African country has reported a total of 162,155 cases, with 4,063 deaths.