News Analysis India

Tag: COVID19

  • COVID-19: Uttarkhand records 922 more backlog deaths since first wave

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand has recorded total 922 ‘Backlog Deaths’ till June 11 raising questions on COVID mortality data. Interestingly, 89 backlog deaths were reported on October 17, 2020 followed by 29 on May 9 and 65 on May 14, 2021. Since May 17, 2021 it has been a regular feature in daily COVID-19 bulletin of the state.

    Anoop Nautiyal, from Social Development for Communities Foundation which has been collating and analysing data since March 15, 2020 when the first case of COVID19 surfaced in the state said, “The number of deaths cannot be final and foolproof numbers as, for remote and hilly aras of Uttarakhand where almost everyone was in home isolation, figures must have been missed. Releasing COVID-19 mortality figures in form of backlog deaths confirms that number can be much more in first as well as second wave.”

    As per law, hospitals need to report deaths within 24 hours but with these deaths being reported by hospitals much later on daily basis cites that they missed those somehow.

    The state health department started regularly updating daily bulletin with backlog deaths since May 17, 2021 stating, “Deaths reported from previous date are added in cumulative figure. These deaths were reflected in district reports/daily bulletin, but not submitted timely to State COVID-19 Control Room.”

    Commenting on the matter, Abhishek Tripathi, in-charge of state COVID-19 Control Room said, “The backlog deaths are still being released as an exercise of transparency. These figures were missed due to various reason including heavy load or the staff of the hospitals being affected badly by the second wave.”

    On May 17 total 87 backlog deaths were reported followed by 19 on May 18, 83 on May 19, 79 on May 20, 46 on May 21, 70 on May 22, 18 on May 23, 27 on May 24, 12 on May 25, 40 on May 26, 7 on May 27, 8 on May 28, 41 on May 29, 9 on May 30, 7 on May 31, 9 on June 1, 8 on June 2, 7 on June 3, 15 on June 4, 17 on June 5, 12 on June 6, 11 on June 7, 53 on June 8, 30 on June 9, 14 on June 10 and 10 on June 11, 2021. 

    Last month after incident of 65 deaths from April 25 to May 12 went unreported in Baba Barfani Hospital of Haridwar, the state government swung in action and issues orders that those failing to report COVID deaths will be penalized. 

    Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand High Court on June 9, 2021 directed the state health department officials “to file sufficient cogent and convincing evidence to establish that death audit is being carried out”. The bench comprising Chief Justice RS Chauhan said in the order, “The said death audit report should also be accompanied with the corresponding death certificate of the patient.”

  • Maharashtra government revises its total COVID-19 death tally, adds more than 10,000 fatalities

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: The Maharashtra health department revised its total COVID-19 death toll by adding up more than 10,693 deaths in the total tally of COVID-19 fatalities deaths across the state. The total deaths in Maharashtra were calculated 1,06,367 since the outbreak of the pandemic.

    However, the opposition BJP alleged that the Maharashtra government concealed these deaths numbers and now in the name of technical glitches they are adding up now. Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that he was warning the Maharashtra government not to conceal any positive cases or the deaths as well.

    “This is not the issue of pride or insult, but the transparency is very important to fight against this deadly virus. I have also written several occasions to the government to be transparent during the pandemic,” Fadnavis said.

    ALSO READ| COVID-19 death toll crosses 10,000-mark in Maharashtra’s Thane district

    Sources in the government said that the total COVID-19 deaths tally can go further so each day and new death figures will be added in the total COVID-19 death tally of the state government.

    According to the state health department, they collect data on positive cases and death tally from various government sources at various platforms. “Sometimes, the private hospitals do not share the information about the positive cases and deaths caused by COVID-19 on time and that piled up data is later collaborated. So, it is not a deliberate attempt but it is part of the system. As and when they receive the information then it is immediately added in the total tally of the positive cases and deaths,” said a health department official.

    “In the month of May, there were large numbers of positive cases and deaths and though administration was to maintain the daily data, they were busy making beds and other services to tackle the pandemic. Therefore, most of the left of the numbers are from May,” said an official from the state health department.

    He added that the situation is normalized and therefore they have asked the local administration to verify and cross-check the given and left out information about the positive cases and deaths. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray also said that the Maharashtra government will not hide any information related to COVID.

  • Centre asks Bihar to share details on reconciled data of 3971 new deaths due to COVID-19

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Union government has asked Bihar to share the date and district wise details of the COVID-19 deaths, two days after it reconciled data and reported 3,971 new deaths within a day due to the infection disease.

    The Centre also said that states have been advised repeatedly through multiple mediums and through deployment of Central teams for recording of deaths in accordance with the laid down guidelines.

    The government also emphasised that as early as May last year, to avoid inconsistency or confusion in the number of deaths being reported, ICMR had issued “Guidance for appropriate recording of COVID-19 related deaths in India” for correct recording of all deaths by states as per ICD-10 codes recommended by WHO for mortality coding.

    The Union Health Ministry has regularly emphasized the need for a robust reporting mechanism for monitoring district wise cases and deaths on a daily basis, the government said in a statement. It clarified that while the government reported a total of 6148 COVID-19 deaths on June 10, this spike in deaths was on account of 3971 deaths reported by Bihar due to data reconciliation. 

    “In the instant case, the Union government has written to the state of Bihar to provide a detailed date and district wise break-up of the reconciled number of deaths to the Union health ministry,” the statement added.

  • Padma Shri recipient Dr Ashok Panagariya dies of post-COVID complications

    By Express News Service
    JAIPUR: One of India’s top neurologist and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Ashok Panagariya passed away on Friday in Jaipur. For the past several weeks, 71-year-old Panagariya was battling post-COVID complications and was on ventilator support for a long time.

    His lungs were damaged due to the infection which gripped him towards April-end. After battling the illness for 48 days, he succumbed on Friday afternoon. Though his condition had deteriorated sharply in the afternoon, he was sent home on ventilator support but barely an hour later, he was declared dead.

    According to his close friends, he had got the second dose of Covishield vaccine from SMS Hospital. 10-12 days after getting the vaccine, he felt the symptoms of COVID and and was declared positive when tested.

    The famous neurologist suffered serious damage to his lungs because of COVID-19 infection and although several teams of expert doctors came in to treat him both from within the country and abroad, Pangariya finally succumbed to his illness.   

    Dr. Ashok Panagariya made a mark as an outstanding neurologist. His pioneering work in the medical field will benefit generations of doctors and researchers. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti.
    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 11, 2021

    Many leading personalities including PM Narendra Modi have expressed deep shock at the doctor’s death. “Dr. Ashok Panagariya made a mark as an outstanding neurologist. His pioneering work in the medical field will benefit generations of doctors and researchers. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti,” he tweeted

    Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also expressed his deepest condolences at the passing of the renowned neurologist. He said that his going away is a personal loss to him and his family.

    मुझे व मेरे परिवार को व्यक्तिगत क्षति हुई है, मेरे उनसे पारिवारिक रिश्ते रहे हैं लम्बे समय तक उन्हें भुलाना सम्भव नहीं होगा।
    — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) June 11, 2021

    Dr Pangariya was the first Indian doctor to become DM in Neurology. In 1992 he received a merit certificate from Rajasthan government and headed the Neurology department of SMS Hospital which is Rajasthan’s top government hospital for several years.

    Between  2006-2010, he was Principal of SMS Medical college and in 2002 the Medical Council of India gave him the prestigious Dr. BC Roy award. In 2014 he was awarded the Padma Shri.

    He has had more than 90 research papers published in national and international journals. Giving his medical and social commitments, he was also given the UNESCO award apart from several lifetime achievement awards by leading organisations of the country.

  • Jharkhand extends COVID lockdown till June 16 with more relaxations

    By Express News Service
    RANCHI: Jharkhand government has extended the partial lockdown to another one week with more relaxations till June 16. According to an official communiqué released from Chief Minster’s Office, all shops will remain open till 4 pm across the state except Jamshedpur where a sudden rise in COVID cases has been registered on Tuesday.

    The decision was taken during a meeting of Chief Minister Hemant Soren with the State Disaster Management Authority and other top officials of the state government. There will be complete lockdown all over the State from 5pm on Saturday (June 12) to 6 am on Monday (June 14), it said.

    Meanwhile, compulsion of e-pass will remain for inter-district and inter-state movement of private vehicles.

    “Looking at the condition of rising COVID cases in Jamshedpur, curbs will continue there as it is and all shops, except that of garments, jewelry and salons will remain open till 2 pm only,” said Health Minister Banna Gupta.

    All education centres and coaching institutions would continue to remain shut until further orders. Besides that, the state government has also postponed all examinations. Cinema halls, multiplexes, stadiums, gymnasiums, swimming pools and parks among others would also remain closed in the state.

    Offices under the state and central government along with private ones will function with 33 per cent strength till 4 pm.

    Meanwhile, restrictions will continue on malls and multi-brand shops in all 24 districts, where the shops have been allowed to remain open from 6 am to 2 pm. In addition to that, curbs will remain as earlier on swimming pool, park, gymnasiums, multiplexes, cinema halls, saloons etc.

  • Bihar to vaccinate all teachers, students and their kin against COVID-19 on mission mode

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The Bihar government after lifting the day-time lockdown in the state has decided to vaccinate the teachers of private and government-run school and their family members apart from vaccinating the students of both private and government schools along with their family members on mission mode.

    Following the direction of chief minister Nitish Kumar, additional chief secretary (Education) Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday issued an order to all district magistrates and respective civil surgeons to carry on the vaccination of teachers from both private and government schools along with their family members on a mission mode in the first phase.

    “After the successful completion of vaccination of teachers and their family members in the first phase, the vaccination for the students of both private and government schools along with their family members will be done in the second phase on a mission mode,” Sanjay Kumar said.

    He said that the vaccination of all students and teachers of private and government schools and their family members will be done in next three months. “At least 300 beneficiaries would be vaccinated at every vaccination site created at schools everyday,” Kumar said, adding that nearly 4.5 lakh teachers are in government schools in the state.

    This would be one of the tough tasks of ensuring vaccination to more than 2 crore students enrolled in both private and government schools besides their family members.

    Meanwhile, Shyamal Ahamad – national president of private schools association said that there are 25000 private schools with 5 lakh teachers and approximately 75 lakh students in the state. He welcomed the decision of government for starting vaccination in private schools also.

  • Declaration on free vaccination by PM Modi is a decision taken late: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel

    By Express News Service
    RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel reacting to PM Narendra Modi’s announcement on free COVID-19 vaccines for all above 18-plus said, “It’s a late decision taken.”

    He asked on how is the Centre going to ensure the regular supply of the vaccines to states as it remains a major challenge. “During the last Assembly budget session, the state government had already declared that everyone in Chhattisgarh would get free vaccines. The chief ministers of all states have been repeatedly urging the prime minister for free supply of vaccines but our plea were unheeded following which the states had to arrange from its own coffer,” Baghel said.

    The opposition BJP however called the decision as historic during the pandemic and expressed gratitude to the prime minister.

  • ‘Have taken calculated risk’: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray asks industry to follow COVID protocol

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that though the state government has decided to relax the lockdown by reopening every sector, people should follow COVID-19 protocol so the government will not be forced to roll back the unlock procedure.

    Thackeray said that they are taking the calculated risk by reopening the economy, industrial sectors and entertainment sectors in a phase-wise manner. He said that this level of opening – from first to five model – is based on a scientific procedure.

    “We have taken the health aspect and local infrastructure in consider while starting the unlocking procedure. We have not relaxed everything. We are opening the economy with certain terms and conditions. The local administration will take decisions of opening the non-essential sectors and other businesses,” Thackeray said.

    “We should kill the snake (virus) and at the same time take precautions that the stick should not be also broken. The virus has spread speedily. Once things go out of hand, then it is very difficult for us to contain the spread of the virus. The lockdown has helped to break the chain of virus and contain the spread as well. If we would have not implemented lockdown, then the virus would have knocked us down,” said the chief minister.

    He said that people should understand the gravity of the situations and conduct themselves. “We do not want lockdown and knockdown. Thus people should compulsorily use the mask, wash their hands regularly, sanitize them and avoid crowded places till the situation is better. The danger is not yet over and hence, we have to take precautions and preventions. Apart from vaccinations, work from home concept should be also be implemented,” Thackeray said.

    Thackeray further added that the industry should function by following COVID-19 protocols strictly. “People who are working should stay close to work at work places only. Bio-bubble concept should be promoted as such measures will help to control the spread of the virus and at the same time help in continuing work as well,” Uddhav Thackeray said.

  • Uttarakhand tops among Himalayan states in number of COVID-19 deaths

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand is on top of six Himalayan states when it comes to death rate due to COVID-19. Six out of 11 states/UTs in the country that have the highest death rates are Himalayan states.

    “The second wave has exposed fragility of the mountain states of India. Death rates are alarmingly high compared to the other states of India. This observation deserves attention of highest levels of the government of India,” said Anoop Nautiyal, whose Social Development for Communities has been collating and analysing Covid 19  data from March 15, 2020. 

    After Punjab (2.6 per cent), Uttarakhand (2.0 per cent) and Nagaland (1.9 per cent) have the highest death rates in the country. Other Himalayan states making the list are Himachal Pradesh (1.7 per cent) Meghalaya (1.7 per cent) Sikkim (1.6 per cent) & Manipur (1.6 per cent). 

    In the list of top 10 states in terms of death rate, six are Himalayan states while five are non-Himalayan states- Punjab (2.6 per cent), Maharashtra (1.7 per cent), Delhi (1.7 per cent), Goa (1.7  per cent) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1.7 per cent). 

    With 446 new cases on Sunday total number of active cases reached 16125 in Uttarakhand. Cases of black fungus/Mucormycosis reached 299 out if which 47 died and 18 have been cured. 

    Meanwhile, Uttarakhand government is mulling to extend some relaxation in curfew restrictions in five districts from June 8 which have shown improvement in terms of COVID situation. The districts of Bageshwar, Champawat, Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar recorded a test positivity rate of below 5 per cent in the past one week. 

    Officials told that more shops are likely to be permitted to open in these five districts and curfew timings are likely to be relaxed. The government is also planning to permit the plying of public transport vehicles with a two-third occupancy.  

  • ‘Have taken calculated risk’: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray asks industry to follow COVID protocol

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that though the state government has decided to relax the lockdown by reopening every sector, people should follow COVID-19 protocol so the government will not be forced to roll back the unlock procedure.

    Thackeray said that they are taking the calculated risk by reopening the economy, industrial sectors and entertainment sectors in a phase-wise manner. He said that this level of opening – from first to five model – is based on a scientific procedure.

    “We have taken the health aspect and local infrastructure in consider while starting the unlocking procedure. We have not relaxed everything. We are opening the economy with certain terms and conditions. The local administration will take decisions of opening the non-essential sectors and other businesses,” Thackeray said.

    “We should kill the snake (virus) and at the same time take precautions that the stick should not be also broken. The virus has spread speedily. Once things go out of hand, then it is very difficult for us to contain the spread of the virus. The lockdown has helped to break the chain of virus and contain the spread as well. If we would have not implemented lockdown, then the virus would have knocked us down,” said the chief minister.

    He said that people should understand the gravity of the situations and conduct themselves. “We do not want lockdown and knockdown. Thus people should compulsorily use the mask, wash their hands regularly, sanitize them and avoid crowded places till the situation is better. The danger is not yet over and hence, we have to take precautions and preventions. Apart from vaccinations, work from home concept should be also be implemented,” Thackeray said.

    Thackeray further added that the industry should function by following COVID-19 protocols strictly. “People who are working should stay close to work at work places only. Bio-bubble concept should be promoted as such measures will help to control the spread of the virus and at the same time help in continuing work as well,” Uddhav Thackeray said.