After spending hours fruitlessly calling government helplines in a search for a hospital bed for a critically ill Covid-19 patient, Indian lawyer Jeevika Shiv posted an SOS request on Twitter.

Help came quickly. The patient found a bed and was soon showing signs of recovery. “Finally, it was help online that worked as people responded with information,” Shiv said.

India is reporting more than 250,000 new Covid-19 cases a day in its worst phase of the pandemic. Hospitals are turning away patients and supplies of oxygen and medication are running short.

In response, people are bypassing the conventional lines of communication and turning to Twitter to crowdsource help for oxygen cylinders, hospital beds, and other requirements.

Read the full Reuters story here.