Arappor Iyakkam, an NGO, has raised two more cases of alleged “unreporting” of COVID-19 deaths in the State as well as “discrepancies” in the positive cases data in four districts.
Earlier this month, the NGO had said three deaths due to COVID-19 were not reported by the health department. Of these, two deaths - one in Government Stanley Medical College Hospital and another at Rajah Muthiah Medical College Hospital - were subsequently reported in the bulletin issued by the health department, while one more death is yet to be reported.
In a representation to J. Radhakrishnan, Health Secretary, Jayaraman Venkatesan, convenor of Arappor Iyakkam, indicated two more COVID-19 deaths that were unreported till date — a 38-year-old woman who died at Government Medical College Hospital, Omandurar Estate on June 6 and a 57-year-old man who died at Rajah Muthiah Medical College Hospital on June 8.
He noted that there had been some improvement in reporting of COVID-19 deaths but it was worrying that the department continued to “cover up” many deaths.
Raising issues related to transparency in data, the NGO said there was “discrepancy” in the closing and opening count of positive cases published in the district-wise abstract tabulation on a daily basis.
Analysis of sample data of four districts - Chennai, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore and Coimbatore - found discrepancies as the closing number of cases on the previous day did not match with the opening number of cases the next day. For instance, on May 28, the closing data of positive cases in Chennai was 12,762, while the opening data as per the May 29 bulletin had the tally as 12,744, throwing a difference of 18 cases. Similarly, there were 13 more cases between the closing and opening data of the city on May 30 and 31.
Noting that the Health Minister and department had been repeatedly mentioning that there were sufficient beds in the city, Mr. Venkatesan said the reality seemed to be different as there was a lack of beds in the last 15 days. He urged the department to increase the bed capacity, particularly oxygen and ventilator beds, before the end of the lockdown to handle projections for the next three to four months.
He demanded that details of total beds and occupancy, and ventilators and occupancy in both government and private hospitals should be published on a real time basis as well as district-wise number of tests done every day.
