Covid death figures give rise to questions

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, SILIGURI, 27 JULY 2020: A total of 53 people have died of Covid- 19 in eight districts of North Bengal so far, records with the health department show. Of the 53 deaths, 19 happened in Darjeeling district alone, as per the bulletin issued by the department this evening.

However, a section of the people here, which keeps abreast of things happening around them and religiously follows media reports on the Covid-19 situation in different areas, including the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), is confused over the death report issued by the state government.

"Many people, who died but their throat swabs later tested positive for Covid-19 after their death, have not found a place in the reports prepared by state government" sources said.

"But all records and case history of the death of those patients, who have tested positive for Covid-19 after death, are being reported to state government for the experts' team members' perusal," said a senior doctor associated with the North Bengal Medical College and HospitaL

It may be noted that people are worried about the rapid rate of transmission and detection of Covid-19 patients in the past week and the death of some Siliguri residents, including a political leader Uday Dube, who was also tested positive for the virus after his death.

According to the state government's bulletin, 14 people died of Covid-19 in Darjeeling district till 21 July. On 22 July, the death was recorded as 15, and 17 on 26 July.

Record shows that one person died in Alipurduar, one in Cooch Behar, 19 in Darjeeling, one in Kalimpong, 10 in Jalpaiguri, six in North Dinajpur, five in South Dinajpur and 10 in Malda as of today.

The death rate increased in the state from 22July It was 39 on 22 July, 34 on 23 July, 35 on 24 July, 42 on 25 July and 40 on 26 July, while the total deaths recorded was 1,411 in West Bengal so far.

Notably, the total cases recorded in the state were 60,830. Similarly, there are 19,502 active cases.The state government has claimed that the rate of recovery and discharge was 64.29 percent as on 26 July.

In North Bengal, Malda district has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases, as per the health department. As Malda recorded 2,053 cases as on 26 July Darjeeling recorded 1,805 and Jalpaiguri 1,140 cases.

Significantly, Darjeeling has recorded the highest number of active Covid- 19 cases. When 546 active cases were recorded in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri recorded 397 and Malda recorded 370.

However, 324 active cases were recorded in North Dinajpur and 227 cases in South Dinajpur. Significantly, 102 active cases were recorded in South Dinajpur only on 26 July.

Sources in the health sector have said that the state government has not been including in the list of deaths people whose Covid-positive reports are received after their death. There have been many instances, especially in Sili.guri, where patients have died of Covid-like symptoms and their swabs tested positive for the virus in reports received after their death