Media reports claiming higher COVID-19 mortality figures incorrect: Centre

The central government on Wednesday (July 14) said that the media reports claiming a higher number of COVID-19 related deaths are incorrect and that that the country has a robust system of recording deaths in place.

The Centre junked reports which compared data from National Health Mission’s Health Management Information System (HMIS) and Civil Registration System (CRS) to claim higher fatality figures.

The government said that the media reports considered “over 2,50,000 deaths from causes not known” as COVID-related deaths “to draw erroneous inferences”.

“There have been some speculative media reports claiming higher fatality figures due to COVID-19 based on data from National Health Mission’s Health Management Information System (HMIS). The report compares data from the Civil Registration System (CRS) and HMIS to draw erroneous inferences. Such reports are conjectures and speculation without any substantial basis,” the health ministry said in a statement.

“As per the media report itself ‘over 2,50,000 deaths were from causes not known’. Attributing any death to COVID-19 without any basis than based on empirical data is fallacious and such inferences are mere figments of imagination,” it added.

The Centre further said that it has been transparent in its approach to COVID data management and a robust system of recording all COVID-19 related deaths already exists.

“All States and Union Territories have been entrusted with the responsibility to update the data in this particular system on a continuous basis,” it said.