'More people to die of COVID-19 in Bihar, govt doing nothing to fight pandemic': Congress

As Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Bihar amid reports of ‘very low testing’ rate, Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh has alleged that the state government is doing nothing to fight the pandemic. He claimed that more people would die in the coming days due to the vast spread of the infection.

“The government is doing nothing to fight against corona. The people of Bihar are totally dependent on God. Let me tell you that more people will die in Bihar in the coming days. Though infection is spreading in Bihar there is still less testing. More than 10 crore people live in the state and compare to other big states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, only 20 per cent COVID-19 testing is being done in Bihar."

“Nitish Kumar does not want to do anything. He wants to somehow remain in power and has nothing to do with public service," the Congress leader said.

READ | LJP's Chirag Paswan Thanks PM Modi For Deploying Central Team In Bihar Amid COVID Alarm

Akhilesh Singh also welcomed LJP President Chirag Paswan’s statement thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government for sending a team in Bihar to assess the situation of COVID-19 here. The former Health Minister of Bihar said that he was familiar with the health infrastructure of the state. "Health facilities are the worst in the state. I do not want to demotivate those who are infected, but it is true that outside of Patna, there are no proper treatment facilities in Bihar except PMCH, NMCH and AIIMS Patna."

READ | Bihar Heading Towards Becoming Global COVID-19 Hotspot:Tejashwi Yadav

COVID-19 situation worsens in Bihar

With four new deaths, the number of COVID-19 fatalities climbed to 177 in Bihar on Saturday while the tally of positive cases was close to touching the 25,000 mark, a 2.5 times jump in just 18 days of this month. The recovery rate in Bihar has also dropped to 63.17 per cent from 77.52 per cent on July 1. As per the health department's bulletin, the state reported 1,667 positive cases Saturday taking the total count to 24,967.

READ | COVID-19: Tejashwi Slams Bihar Govt Over Low Testing Rate; Says 'CM Nitish Concealed Data'

With massive 1,667 cases in a single day, the count of positive cases reached 24,967, the department said. The number of total positive cases in Bihar has mounted to 24,967 from 10,075 cases on July 1, an increase by 2.5 times in merely 18 days.

A three-member Central team arrived on Sunday in Bihar to access the ground situation of COVID-19 following a spike in positive cases.  The Union health ministry's team is headed by its Joint Secretary Luv Agarwal. Director of the National Centre for Disease Control Dr S K Singh, and AIIMS, New Delhi Medicine Department Associate Professor Dr Neeraj Nishchal are the other two members of the central team. 

READ | COVID-19 Death Toll Reaches 177 In Bihar; Positive Cases Rise To 24,967

(With inputs from agency)