As Covid cases and deaths rise in Chhattisgarh, BJP blames govt mismanagement

Raipur is the worst-hit city with 17,981 cases recorded in the last seven days, followed by Durg which recorded 10,381 cases recorded in the same period

Published on: Apr 22, 2021, 18:34:51 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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With 193 deaths and 14,519 fresh cases of Covid-19 reported in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, the opposition party in state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the state is suffering from lack of testing kits and hospital beds due to mismanagement.

Medical workers carrying the body of a person who died due to Covid-19. (ANI)

Raipur is the worst-hit city with 17,981 cases recorded in the last seven days, followed by Durg which recorded 10,381 cases recorded in the same period.

On Wednesday, Raipur recorded 3,081 cases and 68 deaths due to Covid-19, which suggest the government has failed to contain the surge of Covid-19 in the state.

“Although the number of fresh cases in Raipur has gone down from about 5,000 to 3,000, the number of deaths is not decreasing. In the last one week, 470 people died in government and private hospitals. The main reason is people from neighbouring district come to Raipur for treatment. Now the cases in rural districts of the state are increasing, which is a major concern,” said a health official.

Also Read | People above 18 will get free Covid vaccine in state: Chhattisgarh CM Baghel

Meanwhile, Raipur and other affected districts of the state are suffering from the lack of hospital beds.

“ I had to wait around 24 hours for a ventilator bed in Raipur for my mother and at last with the help of some volunteers , I got a bed in a private hospital ,” said Naveet Verma, who himself is battling Covid-19 for last few days.

On Wednesday, the health department served a notice to seven laboratories for the delay in timely update of Covid-19 test figures on the ICMR portal.

“The infection rate has increased four times in Chhattisgarh in the last four weeks. We are trying to increase the testing in the state and presently we are conducting around 13,000 RT-PCR tests per day. We are also trying to increase the number of testing labs from 8 to 17. The number of deaths has increased because patients are reaching the hospital very late,” said health minister TS Singhdeo, talking to media.

The minister also said that there is no crunch in oxygen supply but there is a lack of ICU beds, and the department is working to fix that.

“Deaths are more worrying because the rate is more than one per cent. This because the infection is more in the state ... We hope it will come down in next seven days,” Singhdeo said.

Meanwhile, former chief minister and senior BJP leader Raman Singh alleged that people in the state are suffering due to lack of testing as well as oxygen and ICU beds.

“Testing has stopped in the whole state because testing kits are not available. People are not tested in rural areas. In urban areas, people are getting beds... This is apathy and negligence of state government,” he alleged.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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