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BIG STORY MAY 14, 2021 | The Indian Eye 6

on Sunday, the hospital officials records of deaths attributed to
said. Professor Shahid Ali Sid- COVID-19 and reports of cre-
diqui, principal of Jawaharlal mations and burials that are
Nehru Medical College, said many multiples of what might
Nasiruddin had tested positive normally have been expected,”
for COVID-19 and was admit- said Gautam Menon, a pro-
ted to the hospital two weeks fessor of physics and biology at
ago. Ashoka University.
So far, at least 18 serving and “These discrepancies sug-
21 retired AMU faculty mem- gest that the true numbers are
bers have died due to COVID being suppressed,” the health
or COVID-like symptoms. expert said. “The actual number
Alarmed by the deaths, the of deaths from COVID-19 may
medical college had sent some be 5 to 10 times the official num-
samples for genome sequencing bers. Together with under-re-
to the Institute of Genomics and porting of cases and the large
Integrated Biology Laboratory, test positivity ratios we are see-
Delhi. However, no new strain ing across the country, the true
of coronavirus was found in the scale of the pandemic may be far
genome sequencing of samples worse than the numbers would
collected from AMU, according suggest.”
to university authorities. On Monday, India report-
Zaid Shervani, a student ed its smallest daily increase in
leader, said the students have coronavirus infections in nearly
submitted a memorandum to the three weeks yesterday (May 15),
vice chancellor urging him to es- with deaths still near the 4,000-
tablish separate vaccination cen- mark, but federal health officials
tres for teachers, non-teaching said cases and fatalities are rap-
staff and students on the cam- idly stabilising in this wave of
pus. “We fully support the vacci- the pandemic. The overall rate
nation drive, but the shortage of of positive cases per tests had
vaccine doses is a deterrent to its A man walks near a graffiti wall paying homage to healthcare workers, in dipped to 19.8 per cent this week
success,” he said. AMU proctor new Delhi on Monday. (ani Photo) from 21.9 per cent last week,
Prof Wasim Khan told report- federal health officials said in a
ers on Sunday that “according nalists have passed away due to at election rallies were not prior- briefing, but warned that cau-
to available information, none COVID-related complications itised for vaccination. tiousness must continue.
of the AMU teachers who lost since January 2021. Meanwhile, the nation- As the government still fails
their lives to COVID-19 had According to a study con- al capital reported 4,524 fresh to get its act together. The op-
been vaccinated”. ducted by the Delhi-based In- COVID-19 cases and 10,918 position is now targeting it. The
The virus has been devastat- stitute of Perception Studies, as recoveries in the last 24 hours, Congress has said it has strong
ing to the media fraternity who many as 101 journalist deaths the Delhi State Health Bulletin suspicion that “the Centre, in
are out there in the field cover- were recorded in India from informed on Monday. The num- conjunction with some state
ing the pandemic. As many as 1 April 2020 to 28 April 2021. ber of fresh cases reported today governments, is suppressing the
165 journalists have lost their The total number of verified is the lowest since April 6 when true numbers of new infections
lives to COVID-19 over the past COVID-19 positive journal- 5,100 positive cases were report- and COVID-related deaths”
one year, according to a list com- ist deaths from 1 April 2021 to ed. Deaths, however, continue and said Gujarat government
piled by the Network of Women 28 April 2021 stood at 52. The to remain relatively high, with should explain the difference be-
in Media. states with the highest recorded 340 in the last 24 hours. tween the increase in the num-
Almost 60 of those deaths death of journalists stood at Ut- Another hidden horror is the ber of death certificates (65,805)
came in the last one month alone, tar Pradesh with 19 deaths, fol- real number of deaths. and the official COVID-related
implying that on an average, two lowed by Telangana at 17, and But India’s relatively low fa- deaths (4,218) between March 1
journalists have died every day Maharashtra at 13. tality rate doesn’t tell the whole and May 10 this year.
in April. According to a study, Many journalists have taken story and suspicions abound that Addressing a press confer-
conducted by the Delhi-based to social media to point out that there’s substantial undercount- ence here through video confer-
Institute of Perception Studies, there was no priority given to ing in several states. Suspected ence, Congress leaders P Chid-
as many as 101 journalists have journalists, despite being classi- cases are not being added to the amabaram and Shaktisinh Gohil
succumbed to COVID-19 be- fied as an essential category and final count and deaths from the cited a news story in a Gujarati
tween 1 April 2020 and 28 April. reporting from the frontline, infection are being credited to newspaper which said that the
However, the number is higher on the vaccination front. While underlying health conditions, state issued about 1,23,000 death
with more journalists succumb- the governments mandated that point out observers. certificates between March 1
ing to the virus till Saturday. those on election duty had to be “There appears to be a wide and May 10 this year as against
Additionally, over 50 jour- vaccinated, journalists deployed discrepancy between official Continued on next page... >>

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