Baghpat administration conducts survey after list of COVID deaths in village goes viral

Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 19 (ANI): After a list of the deceased in Lumbh village of Baghpat district in Uttar Pradesh went viral on social media, the district administration has started looking into the claim of over 35 deaths in the last one month, majorly with Covid-19 symptoms.
According to Rajkamal Singh, Community Health Center (CHC) Superintendent (Chhaprauli), a team of district health officials is visiting the village and conducting door-to-door tests, and also providing medicines to people.
"We received information about the deaths. We had sent a team for a survey before also, and again a team is sent for testing again. They are going door to door for testing," he said.
Singh refuted the villagers' claim that most deaths were due to COVID-19 and said, "It is wrong to say that all deaths are due to Covid. Most people very old. Some were suffering from heart-related ailments and diabetes. Only one or two deaths were due to fever, but it is different to say if it was due to Covid. We have talked to Gram Pradhan and he informed us that not all deaths are due to Covid like symptoms."
On the villagers claim that the ANM center had been closed for over a month, the CHC superintendent said the ANM posted in the village is on maternity leave, and another ANM will be posted there soon.
However, the Gram Pradhan had another story to tell. He told ANI that since April 20, at least 37 people have died in the village
"There was no checking in the village but since April 20, at least 37 people have died in the village due to COVID-like symptoms. Till now, one or two doctors visited but there was no testing. After we approached the media, the testing has started. At least 200 people in the village are unwell with fever and cold," he said.
A local Manish Lakra told ANI that he demanded the establishment of an isolation ward in the village but the chief medical officer (CMO) of the district informed him they don't have enough staff for that.
"We have no help from government and administration. I had written to the local MLA to establish an isolation ward in the village, but CMO replied that he does not have enough staff for that," he said. (ANI)