States, UTs have reported 5,21,358 Covid deaths till Apr 4: Govt

States and union territories have reported 5,21,358 deaths due to COVID-19 till April 4, the government informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

It also said that it had asked states to provide details of people who have died because of shortage of oxygen. Twenty states and union territories (UTs) have responded and none of them have reported confirmed deaths due to oxygen shortage, the government said.

"As on 4th April, 2022, states/UTs have reported a total of 5,21,358 deaths due to COVID-19 in the country. The government of India maintains data of total cases and deaths due to COVID-19 reported and updated by states/UTs on a regular basis," Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar told members.

Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour, she said, "The Union government has requested states/UT, and 20 states and UTs have responded and none of them have reported confirmed deaths due to oxygen shortage."

She said that some states are even now updating and reporting deaths due to COVID-19 on the ministry's web portal.

To a query by Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil that the government had promised Rs 4 lakh as compensation for Covid deaths and why this money was not being given, Bharati said the government has issued guidelines transparently.

She said arrangements had been made to protect and take care of patients through insurance schemes for poorer patients.

The minister also said that ex-gratia payments had been examined at central, state and district levels and it has been determined that the amount to be given is not Rs 4 lakh.

"An ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 as per central, state and district level. The NDMA has proposed Rs 50,000 compensation and not Rs 4 lakh for each victim of COVID-19," she told the House.

The minister also said that during COVID-19, the government has taken a number of measures and a budget of Rs 64,000 crore has been sanctioned for strengthening health infrastructure.

So far, she said, "we have 300 plus labs, over five lakh oxygen supported beds, 1.5 lakh ICU beds, over 4,000 PSA plants, over 60,000 ventilators and

all emergency facilities have been upgraded".

Pawar also said that a new bio-safety level (BSL)-3 mobile lab is also being added for detection of new strains and viruses.