By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Opposition on Tuesday accused the BJP-led government of ‘hiding’ the exact number of Covid deaths, saying the official figures reflect only a fraction of actual fatalities. The parties, led by the Congress, also panned the Centre for the inordinate delay in vaccinating people and demanded to know the preparedness for the third wave of the pandemic.
During the discussion on the management of Covid-19 in the Rajya Sabha, members demanded that the Centre provide correct data of Covid-19 deaths. Alleging large-scale under-reporting of Covid deaths, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the Centre declared victory over Covid when people were still dying, and conducted huge election rallies.
“India has 6.38 lakh villages. If even five people die in a village due to Covid, it comes to 21 lakh and may go up to 52 lakh. But the government claims 4-5 lakh only,” he said. TMC MP Dr Santanu Sen said if the Centre was so concerned about Covid-19 management, why did it decide to have an eightphase election in West Bengal.
In its response, the Centre said it compiles and puts out data sent by state governments and that it hasn’t asked any state to suppress Covid fatalities. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said vaccine production is being ramped up to cover all eligible population in the country. Later in the day, major opposition parties barring the Congress participated in the all-party meeting on the Covid situation.
Nobody died of oxygen shortage!
Believe it or not, not a single state reported Covid death due to oxygen shortage, Centre told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday
However, there was unprecedented demand for medical oxygen during the 2nd wave. Peak demand touched 9,000 mt compared with 3,095 mt during the 1st wave
A total of 188 crore Covid vaccine doses needed to inoculate 94 crore 18+ population
Centre expects 187 crore doses will be available during Jan- Dec 2021
56% of jabs given from May 1-July 15 were in rural vaccination centres
Two out of threeIndians may have been infected with Covid virus, says ICMR’s latest serosurvey
VACCINE SUPPLY
Covishield: 11-12 cr doses per month
Covaxin: 3.5 cr doses per month from Aug
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