MUMBAI/NEW DELHI ¨C When Manit Parikh¡¯s mother tested positive for the new coronavirus, she was rushed by ambulance to Mumbai¡¯s private Lilavati Hospital, but officials told the family no critical-care beds were available.
Five hours and dozens of phone calls later, the family found a bed for her at the private Bombay Hospital. A day later, on May 18, Parikh¡¯s 92-year-old diabetic grandfather had breathing difficulties at home and was taken to the city¡¯s Breach Candy Hospital, another top private facility, but there were no beds.
¡°My dad was pleading with them,¡± Parikh said. ¡°They said they didn¡¯t have a bed, not even a normal bed.¡± Later that day, they found a bed at Bombay Hospital, but his grandfather died hours later. His test results showed he was infected with the virus.
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