COVID-19: Locals demand probe into deaths in Prayagraj's Mendara village

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 19 (ANI): Villagers in Prayagraj's Mendara are gripped by fear due to the death of more than 50 people since April. While villagers are apprehending that the deaths could be due to COVID-19, they have demanded proper investigation into these deaths.
Local residents also claimed that there were no facilities for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the village.
A large number of people are suffering from fever and respiratory disease. For the last few days, the government officials are doing door-to-door surveys, but no COVID-19 tests are being done here, they said.
Maheshwar Kumar Pradhan of Mendara said, "The deaths that happened here are because of some sort of pandemic, or a great disease. 40 to 45 deaths have happened here in Mandara. The Asha workers are doing surveys and no investigation team has arrived here. People are afraid."
People clearly state that those who succumbed to death were suffering from fever and had respiratory problems but they could not tell whether they died of coronavirus, he added.

The police are stationed on the main road to impose the lockdown.
Khalid another local said, "Day before yesterday two deaths happened and no one from administration, investigation team or doctors came here. People who died had fever and the reason for their death is unknown."

Another villager Naseem said, "More than 50 people have died. The government has done no investigation and provided no support to the village. The cause of death is unknown and many youngsters have died. No sanitation drive has been done in the village."
Uttar Pradesh has reported 13,971 new COVID-19 cases, 23045 recoveries and 271 deaths since 8 pm on Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry informed. The Ministry said that the active number of COVID cases in the state stands at 1,49,032. With the new fatalities, the COVID death toll in the state has mounted to 17,817 (ANI)