Pratap Simha visits Mukthidhama with Task Force team

Mysore/Mysuru: The number of deaths due to COVID-19 pandemic has shown clear signs that the virus is spreading to rural districts fast and — unlike the first wave — it is causing much more deaths this time round. This is the first time rural areas recorded more deaths than Mysuru urban even though the overall caseload was higher in urban districts. 

The issue was brought to the media attention by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha this morning during a visit to Mukthidhama in Vijayanagar 4th Stage along with the Task Force members who were constituted to look after cremations and burials. 

 “In the last few days, Mysuru urban has seen the deaths of 151 COVID-infected while rural areas reported 380 deaths during the same period. This is shocking,” the MP said. He, however, did not mention that how many days’ data was taken into account. 

COVID’s rural march started in April and is at its peak now, mainly due to reverse migration from cities, less testing, village fairs and festivals where no social distancing measures are followed, refusing to take vaccinations and lack of medical facilities. 

Government doctors and other health experts say more deaths in rural areas are due to the fact that the people are not going to hospitals despite symptoms, preferring self-treatment or quacks. 

 “Mysuru COVID death numbers also takes into consideration the death of patients taken in from Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagalur and also Mandya. Despite this, the number stands at 151 and it is alarming that 380 deaths were reported from rural areas. This is the reason why we are asking Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri to visit rural areas and take immediate measures to control the deaths instead of chairing a series of meetings at her office,” Simha said. 

“Mysuru city has three IAS Officers — the DC, MCC Commissioner and the Zilla Panchayat CEO — and the situation is under control in the urban pockets. But what about rural areas and who will take care of them? The DC must get on to the field and understand the ground situation. She must take control of the situation and act in the right direction,” the MP said, clarifying that he was not doing politics here but sincerely wants the DC to take more effective steps including vaccination, setting up of COVID Care Centres and ensuring the reach of healthcare to all. MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag, MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, who heads the Bed Management Task Force, Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) Chairman M. Appanna, who is in-Charge of last rites of COVID dead, Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) Chairman L.R. Mahadevaswamy, who is in-Charge of the District Ambulance Task Force, accompanied Pratap Simha.