Disclose correct data on Covid-19 testing facilities: Gujarat High Court to state government

After pulling up the state government for not disclosing real data on the availability of RT-PCR laboratories in districts and cities and overall testing figures, which is declining, the Gujarat High Court ordered the government to "provide clear and transparent data with regard to the availability of RT­-PCR test, as well as, facility at the district level."

The court also directed the government to "disclose the true and correct data through public media with regard to the testing facility available in each of the town and primary health centers so as to enable the public at large to avail the facility of RT­-PCR test at the earliest." The order was passed on Tuesday which was made available on Wednesday.

The special bench of justice Vikram Nath and justice Bhargav Karia, hearing suo moto litigation on the overall Covid-19 situation in the state, had on Tuesday questioned the government for the decline in the number of daily Covid-19 testing. The bench questioned the government over the decline but the state couldn't give any clear answer. On April 24, the state had tested a total of 1.85 lakh samples, the number came down to 1.31 lakh on May 3 and 1.40 lakh on May 4. Earlier too, the special bench had raised suspicion over the data of positive cases and deaths and had told the government to release accurate figures.

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The bench noted in the order that although the government has taken various steps to break the chain of coronavirus, "the same is not enough in the present situation and further steps to break the chain is also required to make the public at large aware about the pandemic and its grave effect on the society by imposing further restrictions as may be thought fit in the present situation." The court, however, refrained from giving any direction in this regard.

Hours after the bench passed the order, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani extended the restriction of night curfew to six more cities in Gujarat. The state has been refraining from imposing a complete lockdown citing economic hardship for people.

The bench directed the state to file a detailed affidavit on the distribution of Remdesivir injections received from the central government to districts against demand in the past 15 days to "justify pro-rata allocation." Similarly, the state has to provide details and data on the distribution of oxygen supply and its date-wise demand and supply as well as projected demand.

The court has also sought information on when the 900-bed Dhanvantri hospital, set up by DRDO with the state government in Ahmedabad, will be fully functional.

Meanwhile, the state reported 12,955 new cases, taking the Covid-19 tally to 6,33,427, while the death toll rose to 7,912 with 133 fresh fatalities in 24 hours.