The Delhi government has said that residents who need oxygen cylinders for coronavirus patients under home isolation can apply for it on the Delhi government’s website, Delhi.gov.in, reported ANI on Thursday.

In an order issued on Wednesday, the government said that the residents would have to submit an application, along with copies of their Aadhar card, Covid-19 test report and computed tomography, or CT scan, if any. Online bookings will be available from Friday.

“The DMs [district magistrates] shall ensure that [an] adequate number of office personnel are assigned to scrutinize all the incoming applications and issue the e-passes quickly as time is of essence,” the order said. “This may be accorded TOP PRIORITY.”

It also said the district magistrates will identify dealers to distribute the cylinders and ensure that the dealers get their cylinders filled regularly.

The e-pass will be issued on the basis of the availability of oxygen and it will contain the date, time and address of the oxygen depot from where the cylinders can be taken, the order said.

“The District Magistrates will ensure that the distribution of the lump-sum allocation is done judiciously and equitably between the individuals, any non-Covid hospitals, Nursing Homes, Ambulances, and SOS Cylinders of Covid Hospitals running on LMO [liquid medical oxygen],” the order said.

The decision came after the Delhi government received reports about long queues at cylinder refilling plants that can lead to public safety and health-related problems, according to the order.

Delhi is reeling under the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, Delhi reported 19,133 cases, pushing the infection tally in the national Capital to 12,73,035 since the pandemic broke out in January 2020. The toll climbed by 335 to 18,398. The daily positivity rate was 24.29%.

This surge in cases has severely affected the health infrastructure in the national Capital. Delhi is running short on medical supplies, especially oxygen.

On Sunday, a children’s hospital in Delhi was among at least three institutions that raised an alarm that it was running out of oxygen. On April 30, as many as 12 patients, including a senior doctor, had died at Batra Hospital in the city due to oxygen shortage.

On April 24, at least 20 coronavirus patients in Delhi died after the hospital treating them ran out of oxygen.