BJP MLA from Raigaon in Satna district Jugal Kishore Bagri succumbed to COVID-19 related complications on Monday evening at a private hospital in Bhopal.
Bagri, 79, was a five time MLA of the ruling party and was a minister of state in the BJP tenure of 2003-2008.
He is the third MLA from the state to succumb to the pandemic in the last 17 days. Kalavati Bhuria, Congress's Jobat MLA, died on April 24, while ex-minister and Prithvipur MLA Brijendra Singh Rathod, also of Congress, succumbed on May 2.
In the first wave of COVID-19, Congress MLA Govardhan Dangi from Rajgarh had succumbed to the disease on September 15. Thus, four MLAs of the 230-member 15th Assembly have till now died due to the deadly infection.
Though there have been some signs of relief in the current wave of the pandemic for Madhya Pradesh in the past few days, with new cases and positivity rate both going down consistently, the fact that active cases have been climbing in the past week is quite worrisome as it indicates poor recovery of the patients.
In the past week—between May 4 and 10—as many as 81,048 people got infected by the virus, but only 60,179 recovered in the duration, which means 20,869 patients increased during the week. However, in the previous week, compared to new cases, around 6,000 more people had recovered, thus keeping the active cases in control. Currently, the number of active cases in the state stands at 1,11,223.
As on Monday, 9,715 new cases and 81 deaths were reported in the state. This is the first time since April 13 that the new cases have dropped below the 10,000 mark. The total cases in MP now stand at 6,81,478, while the death toll is at 6501.
However, multiple reports have suggested that the actual number of deaths due to the pandemic is significantly higher. The fact that already four MLAs – who have the best of medical help available – out of the total 230 in the current Assembly have succumbed to the pandemic shows the extent of its fatality, it has been pointed out.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who visited Jabalpur and reviewed COVID-19 related work and facilities there, talked about dropping positivity rate and new cases, but asked people to come out openly with their symptoms and not hide them. The chief minister spoke of the need to be alert of the possible third wave and to prepare for the safety of children who are likely to be impacted during that wave. He said that arrangements of additional beds for children will be made in all government medical college hospitals in the state.
Later, he tweeted to pay tributes to MLA Bagri. Leader of opposition Kamal Nath and BJP state president Vishnu Dutt Sharma also paid homage to the departed MLA.
