The Bharitya Janata Party-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Thursday released figures pertaining to the funeral of patients who lost their lives to COVID-19 and the figures have a stirred a huge controversy.
According to MCD's figures, there have been around 2,098 coronavirus deaths in Delhi. However, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had on Wednesday said that there have been 984 coronavirus deaths in the national capital.
"From March till June 10, in all three municipal corporations of Delhi, there have been around 2,098 COVID-19 death cases for which funerals have been held. These all were coronavirus positive cases. We have given separate records of around 200 suspected cases," Jai Prakash, Chairperson, Standing Committee, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) told ANI.
The MCD is divided into three divisions - SDMC (South), NDMC (North) and EDMC (East) - and they have reported 1080, 976, and 42 cremations of COVID-19 patients respectively, Jai Prakash said in a statement.
Meanwhile, reacting on the controversy, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said, "Country-wide death report compiled based on States' data. If states take a day or two more in conducting 'death audit' & a change in numbers arises due to it, then, in next 2-3 days numbers are accounted for."
This isn't the first time of the mismatch of COVID-19 deaths between MCD and the Delhi Govt. According to Indian Express, the Municipal Corporations of North and South Delhi, earlier in May, said that they have recorded 426 COVID-19 cremations, whereas the Delhi government’s official health bulletin had put the number of COVID deaths in the city at 194.
