NEW DELHI: Over 45,000 Covid deaths have been reported in India till July 19, this year of which Kerala accounted for over 22 000 deaths. The southern state has been showing a consistent increase in daily new cases and a high positivity rate for the past few months. Maharashtra, Assam, and Karnataka follow the southern state.
Not only deaths, Kerala, has reported the highest number of cases in the country. Over 14 lakh cases have been reported in the state till July 19 this year, according to data shared by the union health ministry in the Lok Sabha. Maharashtra follows it with over 13 lakh cases.
Karnataka follows with nearly 10 lakh cases, while Tamil Nadu has recorded almost 8 lakh Covid cases till July 19. Since January this year, 45,704 people have died of Covid; Kerala alone reported 22,843 deaths. In 2021, 44,399 people had died, while in 2020, 3,042 people succumbed to the infection in Kerala, as per data.
The state was followed by Maharashtra (6,508), Assam (1,839), Karnataka (1,804), West Bengal ( 1,525), Tamil Nadu ( 1,265), Delhi (1,187), and Punjab (1,152).
While Andhra Pradesh reported 240 deaths, Telangana has recorded 86 deaths due to Covid this year. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadar and Nagar haveli, and Daman and Diu were the only places which didn’t report any death due to Covid in the country this year, according to the Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar.
Lakshadweep reported one death, while Ladakh recorded nine deaths. India, which has been seeing a surge in Covid cases since April after the Omicron-led third wave waned in March, has mainly seen the highest number of cases from seven states – Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, and Odisha.
The Union health Ministry, on August 6, also wrote to these states and directed them to ensure adequate testing and promote Covid-appropriate behaviour as the coming days would likely witness mass gatherings due to various festivities, leading to large numbers of individuals undertaking intra and inter-state journeys or congregating at the same places.