(AP) — Health care officials in Hawaiʻi are concerned about a shortage of oxygen as the state’s coronavirus surge continues to grow.  The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports hospital officials are canceling nonemergency procedures that require oxygen in an attempt to conserve supplies. Hilton Raethel, president and CEO of the trade group Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi, says there is a global shortage of oxygen containers that are needed for transport to the islands. Hawaiʻi’s two liquid oxygen plants have switched to producing medical gas only. Raethel said mainland tank orders are backlogged for months. Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, which oversees several hospitals in the state, directed staff to cancel elective procedures where oxygen is needed.

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