Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Friday told the State Assembly that 7,000 more deaths will be added to the Kerala COVID death toll. The Minister said this while replying to an adjournment motion on under-reporting of COVD deaths, moved by Congress member PC Vishnunath. "Till today evening, Kerala reported 26,072 COVID deaths. Another 7,000 deaths, reported without proper documents, will be added to the existing list of the total COVD deaths," according to a health department official.
Based on the new norms issued by the Union Government on 'COVID death reporting', application to include in the COVID death list can be submitted from October 10 through the portal of the health department and the PHCs in the State, the Minister told the House.
Following the SC order directing to provide compensation to the families of COVD victims, she said steps are being taken to provide compensation to the victims' families. However, Opposition leader VD Satheesan blamed the heath department for deliberately excluding deaths from the COVID death list showing the weak pandemic strategy of the Government. Following, the Minister's reply, Speaker MB Rajesh denied permission to move the adjournment motion leading to the walkout by the Opposition members in protest against the Government stand on the matter. Earlier, the SC directed to provide compensation of Rs 50,000 to families of victims who died of COVID.
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