Delhi govt issues fresh SOP on reporting COVID-19 fatalities after row over data; CM asserts 'very less' deaths

The Delhi government on Sunday sought to blame hospitals for the mismatch of COVID-19 death data and issued guidelines to report such fatalities in a timely manner, even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted that the number of serious patients and deaths caused by the infection is "less" in the city.

With 381 fresh cases, the total no of infections climbed to 6,923 in the national capital. Between midnight of May 8 and midnight of May 9, five fresh fatalities due to the virus were reported, taking the death toll to 73, the city government said in its health bulletin.

A woman contract teacher of a North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run school and her husband were among the deceased, officials said on Sunday.

The woman was hospitalised on May 2 and died on May 4. Her COVID-19 test report came positive on May 5. Her husband succumbed to the disease on May 3.

"The teacher had last come to work on April 18. She was supposed to come to work again on April 25 but didn't. The couple has two sons. Their home has been sanitised twice," an NDMC official said.

The Delhi government has faced flak over the last few days after the number of deaths reported by hospitals was higher than the figure released in its health bulletin.

In an order on Sunday, Chief Secretary Vijay Dev said it has come to the notice of the government that public and private hospitals (both COVID-19 dedicated and non COVID-19 hospitals) are not reporting deaths caused by the virus in a timely and regular manner.

It has also been observed that despite repeated reminders, the death summaries of the deceased are not being provided to the death audit committee leading to submission of "incorrect or delayed reports", the order said,