NAGPUR: From the devastating 5,600 deaths in Nagpur and Amravati divisions just five months ago in April, Vidarbha’s Covid fatalities for September have dropped to just five as on the 29th of the month.
Among all eight divisions of Maharashtra, which collectively reported 1,521 deaths till September 25, only Nagpur (4) and Amravati (2) have Covid toll in single digits. Aurangabad with 24 deaths is third last while Latur has a toll of 104 this month so far.
Amravati division has the lowest fatalities at two, including one death being a reconciliation from the month of May, and not actually a September death. The other death took place on September 28 at Akot in Akola district.
Nagpur division is second last with four Covid deaths this month. As per the state health department data, Pune division has the highest toll at 627.
Of the 11 districts of Vidarbha; Nagpur, Amravati, Chandrapur, Akola, Gadchiroli and Wardha have reported deaths this month. Between September 1 and 15, none of the 11 districts had reported any Covid death. The region’s toll opened following a death in Nagpur of a patient from another district. By this account, Nagpur hasn’t seen a Covid death of a resident of the city or rural areas in September.
All the five deceased were elderly or middle aged persons with comorbidities. None of them is believed to have been vaccinated.
As on September 28, 21,364 deaths have taken place in Vidarbha comprising Nagpur and Amravati divisions. This is 15% of state’s Covid toll, which is over 1.38lakh.
Vidarbha’s toll was 21 in terms of percentage in state’s total in April. The percentage started dropping from May (19%), as deaths dropped to 5,246. Now, the figure stands at 0.32% in the state.
Infectious disease specialist Dr Nitin Shinde said deaths have reduced because the virus in not in circulation as much as it was some months back. “Covid 19 related deaths occur after a month of increase in infection. In Nagpur, the virus stopped circulating due to herd immunity and automatically there are no deaths. Herd immunity is extensive in Vidarbha because pandemic started early in Vidarbha,” he said.
There have been zero cases in more than two districts at regular intervals, which is significant in these months. On Wednesday, Nagpur district didn’t report a new case for the first time after May 2020.
