E-Paper
‘No death uncounted in Delhi…’: Kejri govt on WHO's excess Covid toll estimate
According to the WHO report, there have been 4.7 million Covid-19 deaths in India - which is 10 times the official figure and almost a third of Covid deaths globally.
Day after the World Health Organisation in its report claimed more than 47 lakh lives were lost in India due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Delhi government on Friday issued a rebuttal stating all figures in the national capital are 'authentic and correct'.
“Delhi numbers are authentic and correct. Almost 25,600 deaths have taken place and each of them has been counted. In Delhi, the data has not been fudged even for a single death. I cannot comment on the data for the entire country or other states but no Covid death in the national capital has gone uncounted,” Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said.
"We have counted neither one death more nor one death less. Delhi is the capital city of the country and is it possible that someone dies of Covid here and doesn't get a death certificate?" he asked.
Also read: 'Science doesn’t lie, Modi does,' says Rahul Gandhi on WHO’s ‘47 lakh Covid deaths in India’ report
According to the WHO report, there have been 4.7 million Covid-19 deaths in India - which is 10 times the official figure and almost a third of Covid deaths globally. During the period, for which India was estimated by WHO as having recorded 4.7 million deaths due to Covid-19, directly or indirectly, the country recorded an official death toll of roughly 520,000.
However, the Centre has rejected the WHO's data, stating that it is “flawed”.
“India has been consistently objecting to the methodology adopted by WHO to project excess mortality estimates based on mathematical models. Despite India’s objection to the process, methodology and outcome of this modelling exercise, WHO has released the excess mortality estimates without adequately addressing India’s concerns," the government said in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)
