Is the Govt deliberately hiding area-wise Covid cases? 93 per cent cases hidden today
SANDESH PRABHUDESAI, PANAJI | 07 September 2020 22:08 IST
The Directorate of Health Services is giving an impression that it deliberately wants to keep us in the dark about how many fresh cases are reported in our area every day. Because today’s health bulletin says 344 fresh cases are found in the state today. But health centre-wise, only 25 cases are traced. 93 percent of cases are hidden. Total 319 cases!
While reporting about 83 percent of Covid cases (312 out of 374) yesterday, goanews.com had said this was the height of apathy and insensitivity as people of Goa simply do not come to know which areas how many fresh cases are found every day.
But it looks like the health department under the leadership of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane wants to reach a new height every day. The comparative figures, as seen in the table below, show only 25 fresh cases, that too at only eight health centres.
There are a total 33 health centres and even the average of today’s 344 cases indicate that minimum 10 fresh Covid cases should be reported at each health centre, on an average. But, in reality, not a single health centre shows cases in double digits.
Only Chimbel centre shows six cases and four cases at Shiroda. Three cases each are at Cansarvarne, Corlim, Chinchinim and Loutolim. Two fresh cases in Siolim and only one in health minister’s Valpoi.
The health bulletin gives an impression that patients are recovering at the remaining 25 centres. But even this tally doesn’t match with the total number of cured patients. As per the table below, the number of cured patients is 278. But the health bulletin says 588 patients have recovered today. Where are the rest 310 recovered patients from?
COVID CASES AT HEALTH CENTRES: 6 & 7 SEPTEMBER 2020
| CENTRE | 06-Sep | 07-Sep | 1-Day Diff |
| Chimbel | 147 | 153 | 6 |
| Shiroda | 96 | 100 | 4 |
| Cansarvarne | 76 | 79 | 3 |
| Corlim | 119 | 122 | 3 |
| Chinchinim | 36 | 39 | 3 |
| Loutolim | 94 | 97 | 3 |
| Siolim | 125 | 127 | 2 |
| Valpoi | 156 | 157 | 1 |
| Travelers | 8 | 7 | -1 |
| Bicholim | 101 | 100 | -1 |
| Betki | 123 | 122 | -1 |
| Sanguem | 67 | 66 | -1 |
| Marcaim | 44 | 42 | -2 |
| Aldona | 116 | 112 | -4 |
| Margao | 444 | 440 | -4 |
| Mayem | 79 | 74 | -5 |
| Porvorim | 284 | 278 | -6 |
| Cortalim | 135 | 129 | -6 |
| Panaji | 224 | 216 | -8 |
| Navelim | 95 | 87 | -8 |
| Colvale | 151 | 141 | -10 |
| Dharbandora | 90 | 80 | -10 |
| Pernem | 204 | 191 | -13 |
| Canacona | 104 | 91 | -13 |
| Vasco | 233 | 220 | -13 |
| Cansaulim | 108 | 95 | -13 |
| Sankhli | 271 | 256 | -15 |
| Balli | 93 | 78 | -15 |
| Curtorim | 68 | 52 | -16 |
| Quepem | 97 | 81 | -16 |
| Curchorem | 121 | 103 | -18 |
| Mapusa | 235 | 211 | -24 |
| Candolim | 61 | 36 | -25 |
| Ponda | 349 | 319 | -30 |
| TRACED | 25 | ||
| HIDDEN | 319 | ||
| TOTAL | 344 |
There is no doubt that the DHS reporting is flawed.
But I regret to point out that your analysis is also misleading. If we take figures of say Ponda, there might have been e.g. 100 recoveries & 70 fresh cases, thus giving a net figure of -70.
The actual picture will get revealed if DHS starts giving nos of Fresh cases, Recoveries, Deaths & Active cases PHC-wise each day..