'Wrong argument': Kerala on centre's claim it isn't providing daily Covid data
The health minister also slammed as 'condemnable' any talk of Kerala not co-operating, reported news agency PTI.
The Kerala government on Tuesday rejected allegations it is not submitting its Covid-19 figures daily. The response came a day after the union health ministry wrote asking the Pinarayi Vijayan administration to release case data daily.
Kerala health minister Veena George said information had been sent - in the prescribed format and without fail - to the centre on a daily basis. She pointed out that digital evidence could not be covered up.
"The argument Kerala did not submit Covid figures to the centre is wrong," she said.
The health minister also slammed as 'condemnable' any talk of Kerala not co-operating, reported news agency PTI. She also expressed displeasure over media getting hold of a copy of the centre's letter before it reached the principal secretary of the state health department.
The state will send a reply soon with all necessary details, the minister stressed.
Veena George said the state had stopped publishing daily figures on April 10 due to the decline in the number of cases but the data continues to be collected and submitted. The minister also said the figures would be published again if the cases show an upward trend.
The minister also said she was aware that the cases were going up in other parts of the county, adding the southern state is prepared to face another Covid-19 wave.
On Monday union health ministry secretary Lav Agarwal wrote to the Kerala principal health secretary, Rajan N Khobragade, and underlined the need for continued intensive monitoring at state and district levels to detect emerging challenges to prep for any Covid emergencies.
"It has been observed Kerala reported its state-level Covid-19 data after a gap of five days (since 13 April). This has impacted and skewed the status of India's key monitoring indicators like cases, deaths, and positivity...," Agarwal wrote.
"You are, accordingly, requested to ensure that daily updation of required details is undertaken by the state to Union Ministry of Health," he added.
