Despite the overall improvement in the Covid-19 scenario in Punjab, the high death rate continues to be a matter of concern. The state’s fortnightly death rate has jumped to a new high of 7.67% during October 4-17 from 5.02% recorded on October 3.
While the number of daily deaths has fallen in the state, it is not in proportion to the drop in case tally. Addition of unreported deaths in recent months is another reason for the overall death rate remaining stagnant at 2.7% — three deaths out of every 100 confirmed cases–which is more than double the all-India Average of 1.3%. Around 300 old deaths have been added to the states tally in the last few months.
Punjab and Maharashtra (2.1%) are the only two states in the country with a death rate of over 2%. As many as 10 states/UT have a death rate below 1% while 20 have case fatality rate of below 2%. The neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have death rates of 1.7% and 1.3%, respectively.