Bihar reconciles 3951 more COVID deaths after review as India clocks 6148 deaths in 24 hrs

As India registers 6148 deaths in one day due to COVID-19, the Bihar government reconciled 3951 additional deaths on Thursday, after a court-ordered review. As per the figures, released by the Bihar health department on 9 June, the state has added deaths in all 35 of 38 districts in a 20-day audit. Patna topped the list with 1070 additional deaths, followed by Begusarai with 316 deaths and Muzaffarpur with 314 deaths. Bihar currently has 7,15,179 positive cases of which 6,98,397 have recovered and 9429 deaths.

Bihar reconciles 3951 new deaths

As per the newly added figures, Patna's COVID deaths have risen from 1233 to 2303 with 1070 new deaths added. Similarly, Begusarai added 316 new cases taking the death toll from 138 to 454 while Muzaffarpur added 314 new deaths taking the death toll from 295 to 409. Siwan, Munger and Arwal are the only three districts where no additional deaths have been added. The districts topping in COVID deaths are Patna (2303), Muzaffarpur (609), Nalanda (463), Begusarai (454) and East Champaran (425).

On May 17, the Patna high court flagged irregularities in death figures in Buxar district ordering the government to review COVID deaths. In a 20-day audit undertaken by district-level committees comprising of civil surgeon, additional chief medical officer and a senior medical officer, 3951 new deaths were added. The administration claims that deaths reported at private hospitals, under home isolation, and of post-Covid complications had remained unaccounted for.

Bihar's COVID apathy

In mid-May, nearly 40 decomposed bodies surfaced on the banks of Ganga in Bihar raising alarm amongst local citizens and later piled up on Mahadeva Ghat's bank at Chausa town. After being identified to be of COVID-19 patients, Buxar DM said that the bodies 'appear to be 4-5 days old' and added that they will be cremated respectfully. The district administration has alleged that the bodies might have floated from Uttar Pradesh and are of COVID-19 patients. A day later, several bloated and decomposing dead bodies surfaced on the banks of river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur - which is  55 km away from Buxar. The Centre directed Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to prevent dumping of dead bodies in the Ganga and its tributaries, and focus on their safe disposal and dignified cremation.