Ambulance fails to start during flag-off ceremony attended by MP minister

By PTI
KHANDWA: An ambulance for COVID-19 patients which Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Vijay Shah was supposed to flag off failed to start at Harsud in the district.

Shah even tried to push-start it, but to no avail.

The incident took place on Wednesday.

“The two ambulances brought to the venue were old. One of them was of 2004-make,” the minister told PTI over phone.

“I did not flag them off. We have placed an order for new ones. The officers concerned should have checked it beforehand,” he said.

Both ambulances were sent back to the dealer, officials said.

The state on Thursday reported 4,952 new coronavirus cases and 88 fatalities, taking the infection tally to 7,52,735 and the toll to 7,315, the state health department said.

Recoveries outnumbered new COVID-19 cases in the state, bringing down the count of patients under treatment below the 75,000-mark.

A total of 9,746 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the count of recoveries in Madhya Pradesh to 6,72,695, the department said.

The state is now left with 72,725 active cases, it said.

With 1,072 new infections, Indore’s caseload went up to 1,42,6872, while that of Bhopal rose by 693 to 1,15,872.

With 14 deaths in the day, Bhopal’s count of fatalities went up to 884.

Indore saw five fatalities, taking the cumulative toll to 1,286, the department said.

Indore is now left with 11,383 active cases and Bhopal 11,038, it said.

With 77,493 new tests, the number of samples examined for coronavirus so far in Madhya Pradesh rose to 90,70,235, the department said.

Madhya Pradesh has recorded 1,89,408 cases and 1,699 fatalities so far this month.

Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 7,52,735, new cases 4,952, death toll 7,315, recovered 6,72,695, active cases 72,725, number of tests so far 90,70,235.