Alarming: Now, more Covid-19 deaths in Nagpur division than Amravati

Nagpur: Covid-19 death scenario is worsening day by day in the Vidarbha region. 11 districts in the region have reported 1,111 deaths in 29 days of August. Earlier, districts in Amravati division were reporting more Covid-19 deaths.
In Nagpur division, only Nagpur district, especially Nagpur city, was reporting more deaths. But from August 10 onwards, death trap is spreading in other districts of Nagpur division also.
Chandrapur which had reported only 4 Covid-19 deaths till August 10 has reported 24 deaths in last 29 days and reached 25. Covid-19 Death toll in Bhandara, which was only 2 till August 19 has reached 21 on August 29. Till August 10, Gondia district was having just 3 deaths. But on August 29, the toll has reached 17. Similarly, Wardha, where toll was 9 till August 10, has reached 21 till August 29. Gadchiroli is the only district in Nagpur division where toll is still 1.
Nagpur, on the other hand has no comparison with any district in the division. Nagpur’s Covid-19 death toll was 334 on August 10. It has surged to 979 on August 29. Many serious patients in other districts of Nagpur division are referred to tertiary medical facilities here. Many of them die during treatment. Nagpur is also catering patients from all districts of Vidarbha as well as neighbouring states. According to official figures, 95 deaths in Nagpur (nearly 10%) are of patients coming from other states.
TOI had reported on August 29 that Covid -19 transmission in Maharashtra is rapidly growing in rural and semi-urban areas that have limited access to adequate health care. State data has revealed nearly a quarter of coronavirus deaths and 28% of cases are now from villages and non-urban areas.
Taking serious contingence of the increasing deaths and cases in semi-urban areas of Nagpur division, lockdown is back to Chandrapur and Wardha districts. Seven days complete lockdown in Chandrapur city will start from August 30. No one will be allowed outside except medical emergency or those involved in emergency services. Even shops of essential commodities will remain closed. Due to the rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Wardha, Selu and Deoli Tahsil, administration has declared a curfew on August 29 and 30.
In Vidarbha, 1,064 Covid-19 deaths have been reported in Nagpur division and 434 in Amravati division. If we exclude Nagpur district (city) from division, remaining 5 districts have reported only 64 deaths. Alarmingly, 51 of these 64 have been reported in August alone.
Covid-19 cases were around 1,900 in five districts of Nagpur division on August 1. Now, this number is 6,578. Except Wardha, all districts have more than 1,000 cases. Wardha, which was known for having least number of cases in state now has 915 cases and 21 deaths.
Chandrapur, which was having zero deaths till mid-July, has 2,074 cases and 25 deaths till August 29. All these figures suggest that the spread and deaths due to Covid-19 is increasing at a serious level in semi-urban parts of Nagpur division too.