Brazil faces widespread oxygen shortage amid coronavirus peak

In mid-January, oxygen shortages in the hospital network of Manaus — the largest city in Brazil’s Amazon region — resulted in horrific scenes of desperation, as health units became “suffocation chambers.” At least 31 patients died of asphyxiation due to the lack of hospital supplies.

Two months on, the scenario may be about to repeat itself in several cities around the country. New coronavirus variants and all-time records of new cases and deaths have taken oxygen demands to their absolute peak — and suppliers cannot keep up. 

There are five producers of medical oxygen in Brazil. The Brazilian Gases Industry (IBG) is the only homegrown firm, sharing the market with American companies White Martins and Air Products, French firm Air Liquide, and German producer Messer.

When analyzing the oxygen situation in the country, IBG head Newton de Oliveira does not mince his words. “We are going to see what we saw in Manaus around the whole of Brazil. That’s the hard truth. That’s what will happen unless something is done to contain the spread of the virus.”

Demand goes through the roof

With four factories and clients in ten Brazilian states, Mr. Oliveira says there is no point opening up new intensive care beds in hospitals around the country, as there are not enough supplies to keep them up and running, including oxygen.

He says that, if demand increases by 10 percent, the country’s oxygen industry will not keep up. “[On Thursday], for the first time, more oxygen left our...