Bihar revises Covid deaths after HC-ordered audit

In Bihar, the  health department on Wednesday massively revised the Covid-19 death toll by adding 3,951 deaths, an increase of 72.8% that was attributed to fatalities at private hospitals, homes and of post-disease complications not recorded earlier. The government undertook the 20-day exercise to audit Covid-19 deaths after the Patna high court flagged irregularities in death figures in Buxar district on May 17. After verification, the state’s Covid-19 cumulative toll jumped to 9,375 on June 8, as against 5,424 reported a day earlier. Most died in the second wave of the pandemic.

After the revised death toll by the Bihar government, the state has jumped about five spots to become the 12th state to report the highest number of deaths. Defending the state government after the revision of the Covid-19 death toll, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said the state did not hide the figures but revealed them. He also ensured strict action against the officials if any negligence is reported. Four of the state’s 38 districts showed a rise of at least 200% in the toll.Kaimur, which reported 44 deaths by June 7, revised it to 146 on June 8, a rise of 231.81%. In Saharsa, the toll went up from 40 to 130, up by 225%. In Begusarai, the toll jumped by 228.98%, from 138 deaths by June 7 to 454 on June 8 and in East Champaran, the toll surged by 222.13%, from 131 on June 7 to 422 on June 8.

Whil Indian Medical Association said the state government has done course correction and has been transparent enough to mention the actual number of Covid-19 deaths in the state but the opposition was quick to take potshots at the JD(U)-BJP led government in the state for the flip-flop. “The state government has been exposed. We have been proven right that there was an underreporting of Covid-19 deaths in the state,” RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwary said. BJP state president Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, however, described the revision of death toll as an attempt to maintain transparency and ensure justice to the families of the Covid-19 victims.