Twelve Covid-19 patients have died at the state-run Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) during the last 24 hours amidst allegations of doctors on duty being not present at night.

Out of the 12 patients, nine were admitted to the ICU and three in the ward and the oxygen saturation level of all the patients who died were below 90 per cent, GMCH Superintendent Abhijit Sarma said on Tuesday.

The other COVID patients and the family members of those who died have alleged that doctors on night duty are not usually present.

Health Minister Keshab Mahanta had visited the hospital late last night to review the situation and has called for a meeting on Tuesday evening at the GMCH to discuss the matter with the senior doctors.

Mr Sarma said that the patients in the ICU had comorbidities and were critical while most of them came late to the hospital after their oxygen saturation level had fallen much below the requisite level. Their oxygen did not increase above 90 even when they were on support.

He further said that none of the patients who died had received even the first dose of the vaccine and appealed to the people to get vaccinated. He also urged people to get admitted to a hospital or COVID Care at the earliest to avoid casualties.

Around 200 COVID-19 patients are still admitted to the hospital.

The state current currently has 25,043 active cases at a positivity rate of 2.01 per cent while the death rate is 0.89 per cent and the recovery rate is 93.87 per cent.