Kerala Health Minister responds to allegations, denies fudging of COVID-19 death figures

Veena George, Kerala Health Minister, on Saturday denied fudging COVID-19 death figures. She said that the state government conducted a COVID-19 death analysis only after the first wave of novel coronavirus and found the numbers were almost correct. The Health Minister's statement comes after Amit Malviya, citing an RTI said that the 'Kerala Model' was all about fudging COVID-19 death data. 

Stating that the state is following World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines, George told ANI: "We had conducted a COVID death analysis after the first wave and found out that our numbers were almost correct. We have made it more transparent by doing real-time entry."

She added that the state has always tried to keep COVID-19 numbers below medical capacity. "No one died in Kerala due to lack of oxygen supply," the health minister said.

George also said that the state presently has 14 active cases of Zika virus and efforts are being taken to control the spread. "At present, total active cases of Zika virus in Kerala is 14. The first case was that of a pregnant woman. She is from Parassala. She came to the city for her delivery. She delivered a baby and both of them are keeping good. She was found positive," she said.

"19 samples were sent to NIV, Pune, and 13 were found positive. Then again we sent 14 samples but all of them have tested negative," she added.

Kerala Model about fudging data, says BJP IT cell chief

Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya tweeted that the 'Kerala Model' is all about fudging coronavirus death data after an RTI showed a massive difference between COVID deaths according to the state health department and the death registration data at local hospitals.

"The #KeralaModel is all about fudging COVID death figures, it seems. Between March and May, Kerala put the official death toll during the second wave around 4,500. But the registration figures put the number for three months at 12,560, nearly three times!" Malviya had tweeted.

(with inputs from ANI)