Addressing a presser, senior BJP leader and Opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi alleged irregularities in the Covid management and said that the Odisha government is hiding the actual data related to the total number of deaths due to Covid-19 in the State.
Majhi demanded a White Paper on the total numbers of people succumbed to the virus in Odisha since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.
The BJP leader further said that the healthcare system is in a shambles in the State and hence people are facing a lot of problems.
"The Odisha government must implement the Ayushman Bharat Yojana here to develop the healthcare sector and help people get benefits of the Central scheme," he said.
Odisha is reeling under inadequate doctors and para-medical staff in hospitals across the State. Therefore, the Odisha government should implement the central health scheme without politicising it and without any further delay, he said.
Majhi further demanded that the State should announce ex-gratia for the families and kins of Covid victims as per the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Response of the ruling-BJD leaders on the BJP's allegations could not be obtained.
For the second time this week, the state recorded 800 plus deaths, up from the previous high of 832 (April 25) to a staggering 895 now, taking up the toll to 66,179.
A day after dipping below 50,000, fresh cases again shot past the 60,000 mark, to 66,358, taking the state tally to 44,10,085.
The Mumbai situation remained stable with a marginal increase of new infections to 3,999 from 3,840, taking up the city tally to 635,483.
However, Mumbai’s daily deaths came down from 71 on Monday to 59, and the total fatalities in the country’s commercial capital went up to 12,920.
The state death rate remained stable at 1.05 per cent, while the number of active cases dropped from 674,770 to 672,434.
On the brighter side, 67,752 fully cured patients returned home, taking the total to 36,69,548 now, and the recovery rate improved from 82.92 per cent on Monday to 83.21 per cent.
The Mumbai Circle – comprising Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Raigad districts – recorded a rise in new cases to 10,031, taking up the tally to 13,35,613 now, and with 118 more deaths, the toll shot up to 22,873.
Of the day’s total fatalities, Aurangabad led the state with a shocking 162 deaths, while there were 80 in Pune, 69 in Nashik, 63 in Nagpur, 59 in Mumbai, 47 in Ahmednagar, 36 in Thane, 32 in Osmanabad, 27 each in Latur and Yavatmal, 25 in Nanded, 24 in Solapur, 18 each in Raigad, Satara, Sangli, and Bhandara, 17 in Amravati, 15 each in Ratnagiri, Parbhani, Wardha, and Gadchiroli, 12 in Sindhudurg, 10 each in Jalgaon, Beed, and Washim, eight deaths each in Nandurbar and Chandrapur, seven in Gondia, six each in Kolhapur, Hingoli, and Buldhana, five in Palghar, four in Jalna, two in Akola, and one in Dhule.
Meanwhile, the number of people sent to home isolation increased to 42,64,936 now, while those shunted to institutional quarantine went down to 30,146.
The northern region of Lombardy - the country's worst-affected - accounted for 252 of the fatalities, which have taken the total toll across the nation to over 1,800, the BBC reported.
Also Read: Trump Declares State Of Emergency As Coronavirus Cases Exceed 1,700
The number of deaths in the southeastern Puglia region around the city of Bari doubled from eight to 16, reported NDTV adding that the Lazio region that includes the Italian capital Rome has officially recorded 16 deaths in all -- up from 13 on Saturday -- and 436 infections.
A press handout released by Italy's civil protection service said that the number of infections has reached 24,747 so far.
After China, where the disease broke out in Wuhan city late last year, Italy is the most-affected country, followed by Iran, which reported 113 more deaths, taking the toll to 724.
Iran's Health Ministry on Sunday informed that the death toll from the coronavirus in the country has risen by 113 to 724.
The number of infections has reached nearly 14,000, making it the third most-affected country in terms of number of cases and deaths after China and Italy, the BBC reported.
Iranian officials have again urged people to stay at home and cancel all travel.
Meanwhile, Spain and France tightened controls as global deaths due to Covid19 passed 6,00. Cafes, shops and restaurants shut down across France and Spain and travellers faced chaos at US airports as governments stepped up their fight against the coronavirus pandemic which has now reportedly killed more than 6,000.
France ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses, while Spain went a step further and banned people from leaving home except to go to work, get medical care or buy food.
Cases also spiked in Germany and sources told AFP that the government planned to shut its borders with France, Switzerland and Austria on Monday.
Spain and France are among the worst-hit countries in Europe although Italy, which imposed Europe's most draconian lockdown on its 60 million citizens last week, still dominates in terms of infections from COVID-19.
A spike in deaths reported in Spain from 183 on Saturday to 288 on Sunday took the global toll to 6,036 from almost 160,000 infections, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources.
Experts warn, however, that the real figure is likely to be higher as tests are not available to everyone and people can be infected without showing symptoms.
The disease has now hit all global regions, ripping up sporting and cultural calendars, causing panic in stock markets and companies -- particularly airlines -- and prompting often contradictory responses from governments.
The United States imposed a travel ban on countries in Europe's Schengen free-movement area last week, but has since said it would add Britain and Ireland to the list.
China, where the disease originated, is now imposing its own crackdown on international travellers -- all will be put into quarantine on arrival -- after linking most of its new infections to those coming from overseas.
As the virus continued its global spread, the plight of existing hotspots intensified.
The US travel restrictions threw airports into disarray with passengers complaining of massive queues as staff battled with the new entry rules and stipulations on medical screening.
One passenger, Ann Lewis Schmidt, told CNN passengers at Chicago's O'Hare airport were held at "close quarters" when they arrived, adding: "So if we didn't have the virus before, we have a great chance of getting it now." Similar stories emerged on social media from passengers at Dallas and New York's JFK.
Illinois governor JB Pritzker said the queues at O'Hare were "unacceptable" and demanded that President Donald Trump take action.
"The federal government needs to get its s@#t together. NOW," he tweeted.
Trump tested negative for the disease, having come into contact with several members of a Brazilian presidential delegation who have since tested positive.
Governments in Europe also struggled to respond clearly.
Britain, which had avoided crackdowns and instead tried to manage the spread and create "herd immunity", cancelled local elections and hinted that it would follow most other affected European nations and ban mass gatherings.
On the other hand, France allowed municipal elections to go ahead on Sunday even as officials imposed a drastic nationwide shutdown on all non-essential businesses and promised to progressively restrict long-distance travel.
The risk from voting for the elderly was no greater "than going shopping", insisted Jean-Francois Delfraissy, chairman of France's coronavirus science council.
Several countries have announced bans on foreigners entering their countries.
Austria banned gatherings of more than five people on Sunday, telling citizens to stay in unless absolutely necessary.
Norway announced it would shut ports and airports with international connections on Saturday before retreating a day later and saying although foreigners would be turned away the facilities would remain open.
The spread of the virus has spooked even those countries without significant outbreaks -- with both Australia and New Zealand saying that anyone arriving from overseas must self-isolate for two weeks.
"We are going to have to get used to some changes in the way we live our lives," said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Kazakhstan declared a state of emergency on Sunday despite having just eight confirmed infections.
In Africa, which has been spared the worst of the disease, half a dozen countries announced new infections over the weekend.
The announcements sparked restrictions on gatherings in Rwanda, panic-buying in the Seychelles and furious recriminations in Zimbabwe -- a country yet to register a single case.
"Coronavirus is the work of god punishing countries who imposed sanctions on us," said Zimbabwe's defence minister Oppah Muchinguri on Saturday.
Latin America has also recorded only small clusters of infections, though Colombia shut its border with Venezuela over a rise in cases there.
Chile has also taken some protective measures -- quarantining more than 1,300 people aboard two cruise ships after an elderly Briton aboard one of them tested positive for the coronavirus.
However, the cancelled events, closed schools and restrictions on movements have driven people to great lengths to avoid isolation and disappointment.
Also Read: Europe Now Epicentre Of Coronavirus, Says WHO
Romans have been singing to each other from their apartments, and across the US on the weekend hundreds of youngsters posted their cancelled high-school musical numbers on social media under #SunshineSongs.
(With agency inputs)
BJP's Odisha unit general secretary, Prithviraj Harichandan, while citing the recent death of a Surat returnee, said, “Though the returnee was suffering from liver ailments, he was detected COVID-19 positive. However, the bulletin issued by State Health and Family Welfare department yesterday did not record his death as one due to COVID19. We are unable to ascertain why the government is trying to conceal data.”
Echoing similar views, Congress MLA Santosh Saluja said, “Till now 3.5 lakh migrants have returned to Odisha from other States. Only those having some symptoms in temporary medical camps and quarantine centres are being tested for COVID19. I believe if all persons are tested, the COVID19 count in Odisha will be in lakhs,” said Saluja.
Saluja further stated that the State government is now adopting the same formula which it used to conceal starvation deaths.
Responding to the allegations of the opposition, senior ruling-BJD leader Subhash Singh said, “The state government has been transparent in providing information regarding COVID-19 statistics including cases, recoveries and other aspects.”
Edited By: Bikram Keshari Jena
COVID-19 Update In Odisha:
Odisha COVID-19 Recovery Count Jumps To 1050
Odisha Reports 96 More COVID-19 Cases, Positive Tally Rises To 1819
A letter on the matter was sent to all states and UTs on Wednesday in the wake of issues raised regarding the death of suspected COVID-19 patients and bodies not being handed over to relatives pending confirmation of test report by hospitals.
I would like to clarify that the dead bodies of such suspected COVID cases should be handed over to their relatives immediately and laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 should not be awaited, the letter written by Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Health Ministry, Dr Rajiv Garg said.
These bodies can as a matter of abundant precaution be disposed of as per the 'Guidelines on Dead Body Management' available on the website of Health Ministry which directs that handlers in PPE accompany the body for final rites, the letter stated.
If such death cases test positive eventually, then the requisite action for contact listing, tracking etc. should be carried out subsequently. Further, necessary action may be taken as per the clarification given above," the letter said.
India's COVID-19 tally zoomed past six lakh on Thursday, with a single-day increase of 19,148 cases while the death toll rose to 17,834 with 434 persons succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours, according to Health Ministry data updated at 8 am.
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