523 fresh corona cases, 50 deaths in Delhi in 24 hrs

Death of 21 Covid patients at Jaipur Golden Hospital: CBI probe sought

The number of cases has shown a downward trend in Delhi, while the positivity rate has also been shrinking in the last several days. Delhi on Friday reported 523 new Covid-19 cases and 50 deaths in the last 24 hours.

According to the Delhi government’s health bulletin, the positivity rate in the metropolis stands at 0.68 per cent. The cumulative case count has gone up to 4,28,449 and death toll to 24,497.

The city has been witnessing a steady decline in daily cases since the last few weeks and the active cases stand at 8,060. The bulletin said 1,161 people recovered from the disease in the 24-hour period, taking total recoveries to 13,95,892.

The Delhi government has set up a panel of medical experts to look into cases of death of patients reportedly due to a shortage of oxygen during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday. If the panel ascertains that death of a patient had occurred due to shortage of oxygen, then the Delhi government will give a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased, he said.

In an online briefing, he said the file has been sent to Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and the panel will start functioning once the L-G approves it. During the second wave of coronavirus, there was a “massive oxygen crisis” in Delhi, and there were reports that oxygen shortage led to deaths at some hospitals, Sisodia said.

“We took the issue seriously and took a decision to form a four-member committee to look into the matter. It is a committee comprising medical experts. We have sent the file for the L-G’’s approval,” he said.

“This committee will meet twice a week and will look into each case and decide whether the death happened due to the shortage

of the life-saving gas,” he said. The panel of four members will inspect claims of all those families who have lost their loved ones due to oxygen scarcity, and thereafter if validated, the process to disburse `5 lakh financial assistance to each family will begin, Sisodia said. A senior official said people who died at a hospital or in transit would be covered under it. Starting midApril, scenes of distressed family members scrambling around in the city to get oxygen cylinders or concentrators for patients had become very common.

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of the Centre and the city government on a plea seeking a CBI probe into the death of 21 Covid patients at the Jaipur Golden Hospital here in April allegedly due to oxygen shortage.

Justice Rekha Palli issued a notice to the Union ministries of home and health and the Delhi government seeking their response by August 20 on the plea filed by the families of some patients who died on the intervening night of April 23 and 24.

The plea, filed through advocate Utsav Bains, has contended that the cause of death of the patients was respiratory failure due to insufficient supply of oxygen and not comorbidities, as stated by a Delhi government committee in its report. The petitioners have claimed that the committee came out with an “erroneous” report that those who died did not suffer suffocation due to lack of oxygen supply.

The petition has sought quashing of the committee’s report and a direction for a probe by CBI or an independent agency into the deaths “so that the truth can be brought to light and justice be given to the deceased persons and their families”.

Delhi reported 523 Covid19 cases and 50 deaths in the last 24 hours. The number of cases has shown a downward trend in Delhi while the positivity rate too has been shrinking in the last several days. The number of deaths per day has also been showing a decline in the last couple of days.