MCD attacks Delhi govt over issue of discrepancies in COVID-19 death data

New Delhi [India], May 22 (ANI): The politics over the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the national capital continues as the data shared by the Delhi government is not matching with that of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
According to the data released by the Delhi government, so far 208 deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported in the national capital. However, according to the MCD, which is responsible for issuing the death certificates, so far 564 coronavirus-positive people have died.
According to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the toll from coronavirus infection is 302 and 72 coronavirus suspects have also lost lives. So far 262 deaths due to infection and 77 deaths of coronavirus suspects have been recorded in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
Challenging the Delhi government, Chairman, Standing Committee, South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Bhupendra Gupta said: "If these figures are proved wrong, they can file an FIR against me. There is a huge difference between the actual number of deaths and the number of deaths claimed by the Delhi government."
Jai Prakash, Chairman, Standing Committee, North Delhi Municipal Corporation, said: "It is beyond comprehension, why the Delhi government is hiding deaths. We update the figures as soon as we perform the funerals of those who died of COVID-19, following standard protocol. Nobody can hide the data and no one can deny the data."
However, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain dismissed reports of discrepancies in COVID-19 death data and said that no deaths caused due to coronavirus in the national capital are missed in the count.
"No death caused due to coronavirus in Delhi is missed in the count. Deaths due to COVID-19 in the national capital cannot be hidden," Jain told ANI here.
However, he added that deaths of suspected cases are not covered under the toll of COVID-19.
Jain said that a total of 12,319 coronavirus cases have been reported in the national capital, including 6,214 active cases and 5,897 cured/discharged patients. So far, 208 people have lost their lives. (ANI)