Shimla | TNR
The Covid situation in the state looks rather grim following Union Minister Anurag Thakur’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra. The health department is said to have deliberately lowered testing for the virus after the rally, to avoid criticism and obvious questions that the government may have to face over the sharp spike in the state due to the Yatra.
Corona cases rising from July 26
Corona cases have been rising rapidly since July 26 when total cases stood at 858. The number of active cases has jumped to 2,800 since then and has been attributed largely to the Union Minister’s rally during which the large numbers of BJP party workers, who attended, were seen openly flouting Covid protocol.
Tests done
On August 17, 15702 people were tested while on August 19 the number of tests done was 15,619. Anurag Thakur’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra reached Shimla en route Parmanu and Solan on August 20. After this, the rally touched several districts in the state and was participated by hundreds of over-excited party workers who accorded him a “warm” welcome at all these points.
People take to social media to vent anger
The helplessness of the people was evident as they took to social media to vent their anger and frustration, but meanwhile, official government figures kept slowing down and the graph plunged by August 23 to show that only 2030 people had tested positive for the virus during Anurag’s visit. During the rally, on August 22, just 6074 people were tested in the state but increased after it ended. 13,077 people were tested on August 24, while 12,196 people were tested on August 25, when the number of active cases rose to 2058.
20 deaths in a week
The death toll owing to the virus in the state stood at 20, between August 19-25. Overall deaths due to the epidemic stand at 3,563.
So far, 2,12,458 people have tested positive for the virus in the state since its onset a year and a half back. During this period samples of 31,45,905 people have been tested.
