Fadnavis to CM: Mumbai's COVID deaths & tests data fudged; celebs & PR used for narrative

Maharashtra's Leader of Opposition (LoP) Devendra Fadnavis wrote a letter on Saturday to CM Uddhav Thackeray, accusing the MVA government of fudging figures related to COVID deaths and infection rate in Mumbai. In a three-page letter, the former Maharashtra CM claimed that PR agencies and celebrities were being used by the state government to 'plant a narrative' even as the state battled the second wave of COVID and accused BMC of 'misusing' the death by other reasons category in the daily health bulletin to suppress the CFR or death rate. Citing WHO & ICMR guidelines for COVID reporting, Devendra Fadnavis alleged fudging of data related to COVID deaths by BMC and attached a chart that displayed the figure of deaths in both Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra from March 2020-April 2021. 

Fadnavis alleges COVID data manipulation in Mumbai

In his letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP leader claimed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had lowered the testing rates in an attempt to show a low positivity rate in the city. Fadnavis pointed out that Mumbai's average per day testing for the last ten days was just 34,191, out of which 30% tests were rapid antigen Tests (RAT), while its capacity was 1 lakh tests per day. The ex-Maharashtra CM alleged testing was being manipulated to show 'drastic improvement' in infection ratio while it was actually a 'false alarm'. Fadnavis demanded CM Uddhav Thackeray to 'stop the manipulation and PR activity' immediately and maintained that he did not want to undermine the efforts of BMC in the war against the second wave of COVID. 

The Prime Minister had earlier on Saturday called Maharashtra CM Thackeray and among other things, praised the government's efforts in battling COVID in recent weeks. He was also apprised of the other measures taken by the state. Earlier, the Supreme Court had also urged the Delhi government to perhaps glean from the Mumbai Model. 

Mumbai records over 3000 COVID cases in 24 hours

Mumbai reported 3,039 new coronavirus infections and 71 fatalities on Friday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. It took the city's caseload to 6,71,394 and the death toll to 13,687. After more than a month, the number of active cases dipped below 50,000 on Friday. There are 49,499 active cases in the city now. Also, on the seventh day in a row, the daily rise in cases in the country's financial capital remained below 4,000.

With 35,224 tests conducted during the day, the total of coronavirus tests carried out in the city so far increased to 56,44,402. Since Thursday evening, 4,052 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the number of recoveries to 6,06,435. Mumbai's rate of recovery is now 90 per cent. The city's average growth rate of COVID-19 cases for the period between April 30 to May 6 was 0.51 per cent, while the doubling rate of cases was 138 days. There are 96 active containment zones in slums and chawls while 617 buildings are currently sealed.