News Analysis India

Tag: covid deaths

  • 399 new COVID-19 cases push Arunachal Pradesh’s tally to 38,682

    By PTI
    ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh’s COVID-19 tally rose to 38,682 as 399 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said here on Friday.

    The COVID-19 death toll in the frontier state increased to 185 with one more person succumbing to the disease in the past two days, he said.

    A 52-year-old woman from the Capital Complex Region died at her home in Lower Subansiri district on Wednesday due to acute respiratory distress syndrome with Covid Pneumonia, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

    The Capital Complex Region remained at the top of the list in terms of fresh cases with 109, followed by East Siang (42), Changlang (29), West Kameng (28), Upper Subansiri (27), Lohit (24), Longding (19), Papumpare (17), Namsai and Lower Subansiri with 13 cases each.

    New cases were also recorded from Kamle, West Siang, Shi-Yomi, East Kameng, Tawang, Siang, Lower Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Leparada, Anjaw, Upper Siang, Kurung Kumey and one in Tirap district, the official said.

    Of the 399 new cases, 378 were detected through rapid antigen test 8 through RT-PCR and 13 by TrueNat method, the SSO said, adding that 172 people were found symptomatic.

    Arunachal Pradesh now has 3,460 active COVID-19 cases, he said.

    The total number of COVID-19 recoveries in the northeastern state rose to 35,037 as 301 more patients were cured of the disease on Thursday, Jampa said.

    The COVID-19 recovery rate in the state now is 90.58 per cent while the active percentage stands at 8.94 and the positivity rate at 7.12 per cent, the official said.

    The Capital Complex Region – comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas – has the highest number of active cases at 776, followed by West Kameng (287), East Siang (271), Upper Subansiri (224), Lohit (218), Papumpare (207) and Tawang (206) .

    Altogether, 8,06,388 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state so far, including 5,599 on Thursday, Jampa said.

    Meanwhile, State Immunisation Officer, Dr Dimong Padung said that a total of 6,86,047 people have been administered COVID-19 vaccine doses so far in the state since the inoculation drive began in January this year.

  • COVID-19: India records 43,393 new cases, 911 fresh fatalities take death toll to 4,05,939

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India logged 43,393 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,07,52,950, while the active cases have declined to 4,58,727, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

    The death toll has climbed to 4,05,939 with 911 fresh fatalities.

    The active cases comprise 1.49 per cent of the total infections and the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.19 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

    A decrease of 1,977 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

    As many as 17,90,708 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 42,70,16,605, while the daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.42 per cent.

    It has been less than three per cent for 18 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has declined to 2.36 per cent, according to the health ministry.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,98,88,284, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.32 per cent, the data stated.

    Cumulative vaccine doses administered so far has reached 36.89 crore under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

    India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

  • India records lowest COVID-19 deaths in 88 days, active case tally at 4,82,071

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: India saw a single-day rise of 39,796 new Covid infections, which took the tally of cases to 3,05,85,229, while the death toll climbed to 4,02,728 with 723 more fatalities, the lowest in around 88 days, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

    The active cases have further declined to 4,82,071 and comprise 1.58 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid recovery rate has improved to 97.

    11 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed It said that there has been a decline of 3,279 active cases in a span of 24 hours.

    The ministry said that 15,22,504 tests were conducted on Sunday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted for detection of Covd in the country to 41,97,77,457.

    The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.61 per cent. It has been less than five per cent for 28 consecutive days, it said.

    The weekly positivity rate has declined to 2.4 per cent, according to the health ministry.

    Recoveries continue to outnumber daily cases for 53 consecutive days, it said, adding that the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has risen to 2,97,00,430.

    The case fatality rate stands at 1.32 per cent, the data stated. The cumulative vaccine doses administered has reached 35.28 crore under the nationwide vaccination drive, the ministry said.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

    India crossed 2 crore cases on May 4 and 3 crore on June 23.

    The 723 new fatalities include 306 from Maharashtra, 76 from Kerala and 72 from Tamil Nadu, the ministry said.

    It said that 4,02,728 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,23,030 from Maharashtra, 35,367 from Karnataka, 33,005 from Tamil Nadu, 24,995 from Delhi, 22,640 from Uttar Pradesh, 17,799 from West Bengal and 16,110 from Punjab.

    The health ministry said more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

    “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

  • Second wave caused 30% more deaths in admitted patients than the first, shows data from 41 hospitals

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: A registry-based ICMR study from 41 government and private hospitals in India has shown that a significantly higher number of Covid patients had shortness of breath, developed acute respiratory disease, needed oxygen and ventilation in the devastating second wave of the pandemic as compared to the first wave. 

    Importantly, the study has also shown that mortality due to the infectious disease also went up in all age groups, except in those under 20 and 13.3 % of the admitted patients died in the second wave in comparison to 10.2% in the first wave. 

    These figures mark, in absolute terms, a 3.1% rise in mortality and a 30% rise in relative terms and confirm fears that the second wave, beginning March this year, was far more lethal than the first wave last year.

    A more granular analysis showed that while 6.5% of those admitted patients aged 20-39 years died in the second wave, this percentage was 3.5 % in the first wave, for 40-60 year olds, the mortality went up from 9.2% to 12.1% and for those above 60 the death rate increased from 17% to 22.2%. However, for those under 20 years, mortality was down from 6.1% to 4.7% between the two waves.  

    The significant data is based on comparing the clinical outcomes of 18,961 patients — 12059 of whom were hospitalised in the first wave and 6,903 in the second.

    It has been published under the title “Clinical profile of hospitalized Covid-19 patients in first & second wave of the pandemic: Insights from an Indian registry-based observational study” in the Indian Journal of Medical Research. 

    The comparison showed that the mean age of the patients was significantly lower in the second wave 48.7 years versus 50.7 years even as over 70% of the hospitalised patients were over 40 years in both the waves. 

    However, a significantly higher proportion of the admitted patients in the second wave (48. 6% vs 42.8 %) complained of shortness of breath, developed acute respiratory distress (13 % vs 7.9 %), required oxygen support (50.3% vs 42.7%) and mechanical ventilation (15.9% vs 11.1%). 

    A lesser proportion of admitted patients had one or more comorbidities, highlighted the study, and showed that 50% of the patients presented to the hospital for admission within three days of onset of symptoms during the second wave as compared to four days in the first wave—showing that the deterioration may have been more rapid. 

    Also, the proportion of asymptomatic patients at the time of admission had considerably increased during the second wave, the data analysed from the National Covid19 Clinical Registry showed and amongst the symptoms noted, shortness of breath in the second wave increased by 6%.

    “In conclusion, the second wave that is being experienced in our country seems to be slightly different in presentation than the first wave,” the researchers noted.

    “Besides the steep rise of the cases, there has been more involvement of the younger demographic. However, the elderly above 60 years of age remained the most vulnerable,” they added. 

    The symptomatology has remained focussed primarily on respiratory systems with breathlessness reported in higher proportions during the second wave of Covid-19 in India, the paper said adding that higher utilization of health care systems has underlined the need for meticulous pandemic preparedness for future surges. 

    The findings in the latest paper are consistent with another study independently carried out by the Max group of hospitals which has shown that the second wave of Covid in India was far more fatal than the previous wave. 

  • Sham, misleading, unacceptable: Uttarakhand High Court slams govt for vague Covid deaths audit

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the state government over of Covid-19 deaths audit during the second wave of the pandemic.

    The division bench comprising Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma remarked, “This is totally vague, sham, misleading and not acceptable.”

    Dushyant Mainali, one of the counsels in the petitions clubbed together said, “Notably, in most deaths the cause of death is posted as ‘cardiopulmonary arrest’ to which court raised questions.”

    Taking strict stand on lack of preparedness about third wave of coronavirus, the court called the lacklustre working of the officials of the state government as a ‘bureacratic mess’. 

    The court not satisfied with the death audit submitted in an affidavit by the officials of state health department observed, “Time and again whenever we ask about preparedeness You (Health Secretary) use terms like- adequate, sufficient, trenmendous efforts etc. Sorry, this is not a meeting chaired by Hon’ble Chief Minister where you will project anything/something and that will be accepted. This is High Court and if you will paint a rosy picture and will say it’s Ramrajya and we are in heaven, we will not believe becuause we rely on facts and evidences and we are aware of the ground reality of this hill state.”

    Visibly angry on the efforts of state health departments officials to clarify, the court remarked, “All these vague terms being used by you are bureaucratic cobweb and a coverup to bureaucratic mess. We want bureaucracy of this state to work overnight on war footing and not to make decisions overnight instead of haulting them.”

    The bench also stated that the affidavit by the health department is completely silent regarding steps taken in compliance of the recommendations of the high powered committee of pediatric experts. 

    After the health department officials tried to explain how the government is in process of procurement, issuing tenders etc, the court dismissed these submissions as an ‘eyewash’.

    The court was hearing combined petitions regarding COVID-19 situation in the state.

    The HC issued series of directions including affidavit with detailed information about various points concerning Covid, including apprising the court about decision and preparedness of Char Dham Yatra on June 28, 2021. 

    In other directions the court directed the state government officials to file affidavit about preparation for the anticipated third wave in the state till July 7, 2021, to get doctors from armed forces, situation of primary health centers including availability of oxygen cylinders and concentrators, especially in rural, remote areas, number of pediatric wards and beds across the state, number of available ambulances and how any villages are not connected to roads and at how much distances these villages are located from nearest government health facility. 

  • India records 60,753 fresh COVID-19 cases, active tally lowest in 74 days

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: With 60,753 new Covid cases being reported in a day, India’s total tally rose to 2,98,23,546, while the number of active cases stand at 7,60,019, the lowest in 74 days, according to Union health ministry data updated on Saturday.

    The death toll climbed to 3,85,137 with 1,647 fresh fatalities and active cases comprise 2.55 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 96.16 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

    A total of 19,02,009 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 38,92,07,637, it said.

    The daily positivity rate was recorded 2.98 per cent.

    It has been less than five per cent for 12 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding that the weekly positivity rate has declined to 3.58 per cent.

    Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 37th consecutive day.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease increased to 2,86,78,390, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.29 per cent, the data said.

    Cumulatively, 27,23,88,783 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19 last year.

    The tally crossed the 2-crore marck on May 4.

  • Ensure safety of healthcare workers, strictly implement Epidemic Disease Act: Centre to states

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Union Health Ministry has urged all states and Union Territories to review in detail and ensure prompt steps for the safety and wellbeing of healthcare workers while strictly implementing the amended Epidemic Disease Act.

    Healthcare workers are the most crucial resources in COVID-19 management on all fronts, said Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal in a letter to additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and health secretaries of all states and Union Territories.

    On multiple occasions, the Health Ministry has highlighted the need to ensure the safety and security of healthcare workers at their living and working premises, he said.

    “Our endeavours to manage COVID-19 are replete with examples of commitment by our healthcare workers at all levels.

    “While the country at large has applauded the efforts of the health fraternity, there were examples of them being stigmatized and even violence resorted to against healthcare workers,” the officer pointed out.

    Recently, there have been reports of physical violence against doctors, healthcare workers and other professionals particularly from Assam, West Bengal and Karnataka, the letter by Agarwal stated.

    ALSO READ: IMA doctors protest in Delhi over violence against healthcare professionals

    “Such incidents impact the morale of our healthcare workforce who have shown exemplary commitment against all odds in COVID-19 management.

    “Considering the importance of the issue, it is requested that all states may undertake a detailed review and ensure that prompt and necessary steps are taken for healthcare workers safety and wellbeing besides strict implementation of the amended Epidemic Disease Act,” he said.

    The joint secretary in the health ministry said the Centre had brought an ordinance and later notified it as an act, under which violence against healthcare personnel is a non-bailable and cognizable offence.

    On April 22 last year, the Health Ministry had issued an ordinance to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, providing protection to healthcare personnel and their property against violence during epidemics.

    It was notified as an act on September 29, 2020.

    The amended Act states that “whoever commits or abets the commission of an act of violence against healthcare service personnel, or causes damage or loss to any property” shall be punished with imprisonment and with a fine.

    Such offences are also cognizable and non-bailable, the letter highlighted.

  • After losing father to Covid, Class 6 girl sells shirts on footpath in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur

    By PTI

    SHAHJAHANPUR: Losing her father to Covid in April, a Class 6 girl selling ready-made shirts outside her house in busy Khirni Bagh area of Shahjahanpur district has caught the attention of both the police and the locals.

    Mahi’s father, the sole bread earner of the family, used to supply ready-made shirts to shopkeepers.

    He had installed four sewing machines and used to get the work done with the help of tailors from home.

    In April this year, Pradip Kumar (45) suffered from high fever for three days and was tested Covid positive.

    He was admitted to government medical college where he died during treatment on April 30.

    With no help from anywhere for the family of four comprising her mother and ailing grandparents, the young girl set up a shop outside the house, placing the shirts lying in stock on a bench.

    “We have been facing hardships ever since my father died. My grandfather is over 70 and has not been keeping well. Since there was no help available, we decided to sell the shirts which were lying in the house stitched,” Mahi told PTI.

    Fondly recalling the good days when her father was alive, Mahi said that he used to bring ice cream and pastries for her daily.

    But now things have changed completely, she added.

    Taking notice of the girl sitting in a shop all alone, Sadar Bazar police station in-charge Ashok Pal rushed his men to enquire about the problems of the family.

    “I came to know that her father had died of Covid infection sometime ago so the girl has to sell shirts on the footpath. Taking the immediate needs of the family into consideration, necessary things have been sent to them,” he said.

    He added, “The family has also been assured of all help from my side.”

    The matter has also come to the notice of District Magistrate Indra Vikram Singh.

    “I have come to know of this matter. Information regarding the children who have been rendered orphans or lost the earning members of their family is being gathered. They will be given Rs 4,000 per month by the government till they reach the age of 18 years. This money will be given to their guardians,” he told PTI.

    A team is at work and all the cases which come to the notice till June 25 will be disposed of.

    Besides, school-going children will be given admission in government schools, the DM said.

    A local journalist had appealed to the people through social media to help the girl after which some social organisations came forward to help the family by depositing their electricity bill and supporting through other such means.

    Another girl from Shahjahanpur was in news recently after she helped the needy with oxygen cylinders using her scooty.

    Breathing hope into the lives of people in need of oxygen amidst the Covid pandemic, 26-year-old Arshi has earned the nickname “cylinder waali bitiya”.

  • ‘Literary Naxals’: Gujarat Sahitya Academy chief slams poem on bodies floating in Ganga

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Sahitya Academy chairman Vishnu Pandya has criticised a poem by Gujarati poetess Parul Khakhar on bodies floating in the Ganga river that criticised the Centre’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the work is being misused by “liberals, communists and literary Naxals” to spread “anarchy” in the country.

    While several writers have extended their support to Khakhar and criticised Pandya for his stand, the chief of the Academy, a state government-controlled body, remained firm on his views, saying the poem targets Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “defames” Indian people, democracy and society.

    Khakhar’s poem “Shab-Vahini Ganga” (corpse-carrying Ganga) criticises the Centre over its handling of the pandemic by making a reference about the bodies of COVID-19 victims floating in the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at the peak of the second wave.

    The poem became an instant hit and was translated into different languages and shared widely on social media platforms.

    In an editorial in the June edition of the Academy’s official publication “Shabdashrushti”, Pandya has criticised the poem without specifically naming it.

    The article was titled “No, this is not a poem, it is a misuse of a poem for anarchy”.

    “Many have praised this poem. But this piece cannot be considered a poem at all. That was just pointless anger, a jugglery of words, defaming Indian people, democracy and society. How can you call this a poem?” Pandya wrote.

    He further pointed out that the poem has been misused by people who are anti-Centre and are against its nationalist ideologies.

    The poem has been used as a “shoulder to fire from” by those elements, he said.

    “Communists and those so-called liberals want to create anarchy in the country. They are active in all fields and also jumped into literature with malicious intentions. These literary Naxals want to influence those unsuspecting people who would relate their personal grief with this poem,” Pandya stated.

    He further said the Academy can never agree with what has been written in the poem, and said some elements had turned the work into a “weapon to tear apart the social fabric”.

    While Khakhar was not available for comment, over 100 Gujarati writers, led by Manishi Jani of Gujarati Lekhak Mandal, came out in support of the poetess, who is also being targeted through social media.

    In a statement, Jani said Gujarati writers “condemn the attempts to muzzle the voice of a writer and stand firmly in support of a Parul Khakhar”.

    In his defence, Pandya said he was never against Khakhar and the Academy even supported her financially in the past for her literary works.

    “Parul is a good poetess. But this poem does not fit in the literary standards. Her piece only reflects prejudice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One must refrain from using derogatory words like ‘naked king’ in a poem,” Pandya said.

    “I can never agree with the idea of misusing a poem to create anarchy in the country. Criticism of the establishment must be there. Even we used to criticise governments. But there must be a balance in it,” he added.

  • Ladakh’s coronavirus death toll reaches 200, total cases 19,704 

    By PTI
    LEH: With one more patient succumbing to COVID-19, Ladakh’s overall death toll due to the disease has reached 200, officials said Friday, as 22 new infections pushed the case tally to 19,704.

    However, the number of active cases in the region dropped to 482 — 348 in Leh and 134 in Kargil — as 77 more patients recovered during a 24-hour period, the officials said this morning.

    The new death was reported from Kargil on Thursday, taking the district’s tally to 57.

    The rest of the Covid fatalities — 143 — have been reported from Leh, the officials said.

    Of the new cases, 11 each were detected in Leh and Kargil, taking the individual district’s tally to 16,254 and 3,450, respectively.

    The officials said 63 patients were discharged in Leh and 14 in Kargil after treatment. With this, the number of such patients has gone up to 19,022, or 96.54 per cent of the total caseload.