New Delhi: The Delhi health department has undertaken a “verification” process to ascertain the total number of deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic after the Arvind Kejriwal government revised its toll last week.
According to the North and South Delhi municipal corporations, 552 Covid-19 deaths have occurred as of 17 May. However, the Delhi government had reported only 148 deaths.
The discrepancy in the death toll has been a sore point for the Delhi government, which revised its official count to 115 from 106 on 14 May.
A day later, ThePrint had reported that 443 Covid-related deaths had occurred based on the consolidated figures provided by the designated cremation and burial grounds, which includes confirmed as well as suspected cases. This was four times the government’s toll.
Also read: No Covid test if patient is dead, Delhi govt says in new guidelines for disposal of bodies
Health department’s death ‘audit’
The letter, titled “verification of death cases due to COVID-19”, was sent to the municipal commissioners Saturday by Padmini Singla, Delhi’s health secretary, and sought the details of Covid-19 deaths registered.
According to it, a copy of which was accessed by ThePrint, the municipal commissioners were “..requested that the copies of register having details of such cremations/burial of COVID-19 related deaths (positive and suspect) along with the supporting documents like lab reports, doctor’s certificate etc may be sent to this department by 12:00 noon tomorrow (17 May)”.
The details for cremations and burials done at the Nigambodh Ghat crematorium, Punjabi Bagh crematorium and the ITO graveyard were asked for in particular.
A senior officer of the SDMC, on the condition of anonymity, told ThePrint that details of about 300 confirmed and suspected cases of cremation and burials in SDMC area in Punjabi Bagh and ITO burial ground were sent to the health department.
From the North, Jai Prakash, chairman of standing committee of NDMC, said, “The details for 252 such funerals were sent from the North civic body.”
In another order issued by the Delhi health secretary Tuesday, hospitals were directed to ensure “timely reporting of deaths of COVID positive persons” in accordance with the standard operating procedures.
The health department order, accessed by ThePrint, stated: “It has been observed in that in spite of the order, health care facilities in Delhi are not timely reporting death of COVID positive cases.”
It warned top officials of government and private hospitals in Delhi that a violation of the order will invite strict action from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority under the Disaster Management Act.
Also read: Delhi govt tells hospitals to update Covid death data in ‘timely manner’ as mismatch emerges
if Kejriwal govt’s figures are shady, God forbid where other govts’ especially bjp-ruled, stand.