Maharashtra government misreporting COVID-19 deaths: BJP

In a serious development in Maharashtra, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) may not have reported as many as 950 coronavirus deaths.

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In a letter to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis brought this to light. According to Fadnavis, there has been gross violation of ICMR guidelines.

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"The BMC has suppressed around 950 deaths. There have been around 3,300 COVID-19 deaths while the BMC has revealed only around 2,250 deaths," state BJP vice president Dr Kirit Somaiya said.

"It is a cover up," said Fadnavis.

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However, there has been no immediate reaction from the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

"Before announcing a COVID-19 related death, it is examined by the Death Audit Committee formed by the BMC. We have noticed that there are at least 451 recent deaths that were not declared as COVID-19 deaths. According to the ICMR guidelines, these were COVID-19 deaths but the Death Audit Committee showed these as non-COVID-19 deaths," he said.

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Former Chief Minister Fadnavis, also alleged that there were 500 COVID-19 deaths that were not reported to the Death Audit Committee."

So there are around 950 COVID-19 deaths that are suppressed. This is serious and criminal in nature," he said. "The State Government itself has directed setting up Death Audit Committee at every district & Municipal Corporation level. When there are clear guidelines by @WHO & @ICMRDELHI on identifying #COVID_19 & non-Covid cases,is this committee made to prevent deaths or to hide numbers?," Fadnavis tweeted.