COVID-19 Live Updates: Hospital 'hides' 65 COVID patients deaths from authorities in Uttarakhand

Health workers and relatives transport the body of the COVID-19 victim for cremation at a crematorium in New Delhi, on May 16, 2021. (Photo by Amarjeet Kumar Singh/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

India's COVID-19 tally mounted to 2,49,65,463 on Monday with 2,81,386 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 27 days, while the death toll climbed to 2,74,390 with 4,106 fatalities. A private hospital in Haridwar allegedly withheld information about the deaths of 65 COVID patients from the health authorities for over a fortnight in violation of the norms. Cabinet Minister and state govt spokesman Subodh Uniyal said the matter is being probed and appropriate legal action will be taken against those responsible for negligence.

Days after pointing out that scientists are facing 'stubborn resistance to evidence-based policy making', noted virologist Shahid Jameel quit as the head of INSACOG, a central government panel that conducts genome sequencing of coronavirus.

The 4,106 new fatalities include 974 from Maharashtra, 403 from Karnataka, 311 from Tamil Nadu, 308 from Uttar Pradesh, 262 from Delhi, 202 from Punjab, 188 from Uttarakhand, 156 from Rajasthan, 147 from West Bengal, 144 from Chhattisgarh, 139 from Haryana and 101 from Andhra Pradesh.

Of the total 2,74,390 deaths reported in the country, 81,486 were from Maharashtra, 21,837 from Karnataka, 21,506 from Delhi, 17,670 from Tamil Nadu, 17,546 from Uttar Pradesh, 13,284 from West Bengal, 11,895 from Punjab and 11,734 from Chhattisgarh.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

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