Death toll rises eight times in 15 days across Jharkhand
Covid-19 toll is soaring alarmingly in Jharkhand with death rate rising by eight times in a fortnight as compared to the state’s total figure reported in March
Covid-19 toll is soaring alarmingly in Jharkhand with death rate rising by eight times in a fortnight as compared to the state’s total figure reported in March. Similarly, the cases rose by more than five times in two weeks compared to the previous month.

An analysis of the Covid-19 bulletin issued by the state health department shows that as many as 179 people lost lives due to Coronavirus disease between April 1 and April 14. In entire March month, merely 23 people infected with Covid-19 had died.
Scarier is the fact that as many as 100 people died in just past four days (from April 11 to April 14) due to the deadly virus. As far as cases are concerned, the state had registered 4,252 Covid cases in entire March month, while 23,591 cases have been recorded in just 14 days (from April 1 to April 14) this month.
The state recorded highest cases of the year on Wednesday with 3,198 people found infected with coronavirus, while 31 people lost lives due to the disease, as per the Covid-19 bulletin.
Medical experts warned that the situation would turn more alarming if stern restrictions and precautions were not taken immediately.
Ranchi president of Indian Medical Association (IMA) Sambhu Singh said there are many reasons behind increasing death toll that include massive violation of Covid protocol, change in viral variant and mismanagement of health care facilities.
“We see everyday, many people have been dying due to the virus in want of treatment. People are running one hospital to another hospital but beds are not available, particularly the oxygen supported and ICU beds. Hospital management has turned bad to worse. Hospitals are facing shortage of anti-viral medicines. Mismanagement of health system has also caused rise in death rate,” he said.
Singh said, “The new variant of the virus is deadlier. Violation of Covid protocols such as social distancing and use of mask and absence of strict restrictions in crowded places, the virus is transmitting very fast. The second wave of the pandemic is more dangerous for persons with comorbidity. Now, only complete lockdown could improve the situation or it will turn worse.”
Due to high death rate in past few days, Ranchi’s cremation ground is over-burdened. Ranchi’s saw cremation of 52 Covid-19 infected persons on Monday night at temporary cremation ground in Ghagra due to sudden breakdown of the gas-based cremation machine at Muktidham in Ranchi’s Harmu on Sunday morning.
The cremation developed technical snag due to over-burden, officials at Ranchi Municipal Corporation said. Ranchi mayor Asha Lakra said the burners of cremation machine have got damaged, which would be replaced in next two-three days.
Twenty eight bodies were cremated on Tuesday, while 22 bodies were cremated on Wednesday at Ghagra.
Ranchi sub-divisional officer (SDO) Utkarsh Gupta said Ranchi is having state tertiary care hospital, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences. “Critical patients from all districts across the state are treated here. If any Covid-19 infected person from any district of the state dies in Ranchi, his/her cremation will be done here following Covid protocol. But, the Covid case/death will be counted in their respective district’s record,” he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHORSanjoy DeySanjoy Dey is principal correspondent in Jharkhand and writes on government, urban development, forest and environment, tourism, rural development and agriculture. He likes to write human interest stories.Read More

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