New data shows that nearly 75,000 people have died in Bihar of unidentified causes in the first five months of 2021 which corresponds to the deadly second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. The number is about ten times more than the state’s official pandemic death figure as shown, raising doubts if the northern state is undercounting its Covid deaths.
Between January and May 2019 around 1.3 lakh deaths were reported in Bihar, while during the same duration in 2021 the deaths recorded were almost 2.2 lakh, as per data from the state's Civil Registration System. There is a difference of approximately 82,500.
More than half of the number that counts up to 62 per cent rise was reported in May this year.
Bihar’s official Covid death fatalities for the period between January and May 2021, was, however, 7,717. This increase was seen after the state added more deaths to the total tally.
Although, the officials are not sure when the number recorded in the revised tally took place, however, it is being estimated that these deaths occurred in 2021.
This total death related to Covid in the state is only a portion of the surplus deaths recorded by its Civil Registration System, which shows a difference of 74,808. Thus, the question arises that is the state still underreporting its Covid deaths despite the updated count.
Bihar has a poor track record in registering deaths, however, a few states have also shown similar trends of possible undercounting. Data has shown that around 4.8 lakh unexplained deaths were reported in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi.
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The second Covid wave which has slowed down now has wreaked havoc in the country. The deadly second wave led to an unprecedented rise in deaths and hospitalisation across the country with several states reporting a shortage of oxygen, beds and essential drugs and medicines, causing people to die just outside the hospital. The second wave of the Covid pandemic had also displayed the worst state of the medical infrastructure in the country.