Need for 'clear and honest' information from Centre on COVID-19 spread : CPIM

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday raised a slew of questions on the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis and said there was a need for "clear and honest' information from the Centre on COVID-19 spread.

The Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 32 and the number of total positive cases to 1,251 as on Monday 9.30 pm, up from 1,024 positive cases and 27 deaths as on Sunday evening. While there are more than 1,100 active cases, nearly 100 have been cured.

"First, we need clear and honest information from the central government on COVID-19 virus. The attempt to divert & obstruct genuine queries is akin to playing with the lives of millions of Indians. Why is the health minister and the home minister not leading the briefing every evening?
"Second, we need extensive testing. These restrictive provisions for testing are not helpful at all in assessing the extent of infection, or for initiating robust measures to counter its spread," he said in a series of tweets
"Private charity, while welcome, is not a replacement for government failing to discharge its basic constitutional duty