No one died in Kerala due to lack of oxygen: CM Pinarayi Vijayan dismisses criticism amid spike in COVID-19 cases

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hit back at the Opposition for criticising his government over the handling of the coronavirus situation. 

New Delhi: Amid surge in daily COVID-19 cases and high test positivity rate in the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday (August 27) hit back at the Opposition for criticising the government over the handling of the coronavirus situation and asked which other model of containment should his government follow. In an article published in Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s magazine ‘Chintha’, Vijayan termed the criticism of his government "unwanted” and claimed no deaths occurred in Kerala due to lack of oxygen. “If Kerala model is wrong in Covid containment, then which model should we follow? No one had died in Kerala due to a lack of oxygen. No person was deprived of medical aid or medical bed,” ANI quoted the CM as saying.  He slammed people for "deliberately creating confusion” over the high number of daily cases in the state. “Some people are trying to neglect facts and deliberately creating confusion. There are some unnecessary controversies surrounding second wave. Some sections are trying to create fear among people by portraying the high numbers during the second wave as a cause of concern,” the CM wrote.