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India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

bbc.com

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Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#21

Post by apoorvagk »

ganeshkrishnan wrote: post #8

The number of fatalities is 10x-100x more than what is published officially. Most people died at homes due to them being rural and all hospitals working at capacity. At government hospitals, you have to be tested and be covid positive to be listed as covid death. Private hospitals in rural areas simply don't send the stats back. I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. They sai…

> I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives.

I am sorry for the losses you and your friends have experienced. I came here to provide a contrarian view just so that the readers here do not get a skewed view of what is going on.

I agree with you that the actual deaths are at least 10X and possibly 100X more than the official numbers. But nobody in my family has been tested positive with COVID-19 or died of COVID-19 or any other illness in the last 2 years. I know many friends and colleagues too whose entire families have been safe in this pandemic. There are a few who have lost a family member to COVID-19. Some of them got infected and recovered. But most of the people in my circle and their families are safe.

Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#23

Post by truth_ »

throwaway894345 wrote: post #10
truth_ wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it is not. Used to be true a century ago, to a lesser extent- half a century ago. Not anymore.

Per TFA: > Traditionally, Hindus cremate their dead. But many communities follow what is known as "Jal Pravah" - the practice of floating in the river the bodies of children, unwed girls, or those who die from infectious diseases or snake bites. > Many poor people also cannot afford cremation, and so they wrap the body in white muslin and push it into the water. Sometimes, the bodies are tied to stones to ensure they…

For the non-Indians, the above is very very very uncommon. These are spread after the incidents to save face.

Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#24

Post by astrange »

wayoverthecloud wrote: post #5
Flex247A wrote: post #3

It's getting harder to get an empty vaccine slot. I think there is a huge shortage of vaccines in my state (UP). Fortunately, I got my first shot of vaccine yesterday. At the vaccination center, I saw people breaking the line, taking pictures of their relatives getting the vaccine, and in general not maintaining a safe distance. I guess many handled their ID cards and tokens without sanitizing their hands... It's hea…

Is the vaccine supposed to work for the second variant of the virus that causes drop in oxygen level?

All the vaccines work for variants - COVID is not actually that good at mutating, it's not the flu. Some work better than others, but there's no reason to skip one because it appears you can mix them with no side effects.

Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#25

Post by Shinobuu »

ganeshkrishnan wrote: post #8

The number of fatalities is 10x-100x more than what is published officially. Most people died at homes due to them being rural and all hospitals working at capacity. At government hospitals, you have to be tested and be covid positive to be listed as covid death. Private hospitals in rural areas simply don't send the stats back. I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. They sai…

>fatalities is 10x-100x more than what is published officially

Source please.

>you have to be tested and be covid positive to be listed as covid death.

You do realize that's the correct way right?

Everywhere it's done the same way.

>All his political life, him and his supporters cried for statues and temples and now they stand on the ashes of million dead people and all they can hear is a deafening silence of their gods.

logic has left the chat

Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#26

Post by peanutz454 »

truth_ wrote: post #20
hangonhn wrote: post #4

What is the best way for someone in the US to donate to help with the situation in India? I'm not Indian so I don't know much about charities in India but news like this is just heartbreaking and I want to do my minuscule part in helping. Thanks in advance.

Whatever you do, do not donate to the PM Cares Fund. It's transaction is supposed to be open to the public, but it is not. Requests made to Right To Information Act was denied every time. So please stay away from it. Here are some suggestions- 1. Gunj - active in very rural and remote areas 2. Akshaya Patra - currently involved in feeding the poorest of the poor 3. Ramakrishna Mission - Religious organization but hon…

Thanks for the list. Its just me, but I would stay away from political or religious funds.

Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#27

Post by blackoil »

apoorvagk wrote: post #21
ganeshkrishnan wrote: post #8

The number of fatalities is 10x-100x more than what is published officially. Most people died at homes due to them being rural and all hospitals working at capacity. At government hospitals, you have to be tested and be covid positive to be listed as covid death. Private hospitals in rural areas simply don't send the stats back. I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. They sai…

> I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. I am sorry for the losses you and your friends have experienced. I came here to provide a contrarian view just so that the readers here do not get a skewed view of what is going on. I agree with you that the actual deaths are at least 10X and possibly 100X more than the official numbers. But nobody in my family has been tested positive…

OP said relatives, which adds extended family.

Even by worst estimates ~50% of population has been infected, so not surprising to find families which are not infected.

Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#28

Post by ridiculous_lol »

apoorvagk wrote: post #21
ganeshkrishnan wrote: post #8

The number of fatalities is 10x-100x more than what is published officially. Most people died at homes due to them being rural and all hospitals working at capacity. At government hospitals, you have to be tested and be covid positive to be listed as covid death. Private hospitals in rural areas simply don't send the stats back. I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. They sai…

> I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. I am sorry for the losses you and your friends have experienced. I came here to provide a contrarian view just so that the readers here do not get a skewed view of what is going on. I agree with you that the actual deaths are at least 10X and possibly 100X more than the official numbers. But nobody in my family has been tested positive…

My distant family members have been tested positive but no one has died. The parent is definitely stretching it.

Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#29

Post by ganeshkrishnan »

apoorvagk wrote: post #21
ganeshkrishnan wrote: post #8

The number of fatalities is 10x-100x more than what is published officially. Most people died at homes due to them being rural and all hospitals working at capacity. At government hospitals, you have to be tested and be covid positive to be listed as covid death. Private hospitals in rural areas simply don't send the stats back. I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. They sai…

> I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. I am sorry for the losses you and your friends have experienced. I came here to provide a contrarian view just so that the readers here do not get a skewed view of what is going on. I agree with you that the actual deaths are at least 10X and possibly 100X more than the official numbers. But nobody in my family has been tested positive…

>But nobody in my family has been tested positive with COVID-19 or died of COVID-19 or any other illness in the last 2 years.

My immediate family could quarantine because we are relatively well off. We can order online and most of our jobs are tech as well.

Other friends and families including doctors can't afford to stay locked down. The first wave was withering down, life was returning back to normal. All modi had to do was to sit down and shut up. But he thought his getting elected was more important so he organized election rallies and let the kumbh mela happen with 12 million people gathering.

Re: India's holiest river Ganges is swollen with Covid victims

#30

Post by actuator »

ganeshkrishnan wrote: post #8

The number of fatalities is 10x-100x more than what is published officially. Most people died at homes due to them being rural and all hospitals working at capacity. At government hospitals, you have to be tested and be covid positive to be listed as covid death. Private hospitals in rural areas simply don't send the stats back. I don't know any family in India that didn't have a death among their relatives. They sai…

The situation is quite sad, and I am happy you and your family are fine as you mentioned in your other comment. I am quite sure you can do without spreading FUD here though.

If you have data to back up the 10-100x claim, please share it.

There has been undercounting in most countries and India having largely poor infra you would expect it to be higher there. The data has been analysed by a lot of experts and most are putting the real count between 2-3x. https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1390536686635978752?s=...

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