At least six people - including five coronavirus patients - have died in a hospital in Pakistan after oxygen supplies ran too low.

A reported delay in deliveries meant more than 200 patients were left for hours on reduced oxygen at the government-run hospital in the northern city of Peshawar on Saturday.

Hospital officials described the shortage as "criminal negligence", blaming it on the supply company.

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It has so far reported more then 400,000 infections and over 8,000 deaths.

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"The sad incident happened due to lack of central oxygen supply in the hospital," provincial health minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra said at a press conference after the deaths on Saturday nights.

"We will hold an inquiry and get to the bottom of the incident."

IMAGE COPYRIGHTEPA

image captionThere are growing concerns over an oxygen shortage

According to the government-run hospital in Peshawar, out of the 200 patients, almost 100 were suffering from Covid-19.

A spokesman told the BBC that five of the dead were patients in the Corona ward and one in the intensive care unit.

Local media report that the daily supply of new oxygen cylinders did not arrive on Saturday evening and that the 300 backup cylinders could not supply the required pressure for the ventilators.

Hospitals across Pakistan are struggling with rising cases during the country's second wave.