Conceding that a total of 23 pilgrims have died in the initial days of the Char Dham Yatra, the State Health department of Uttarakhand has claimed that none of the deceased has died in the hospital. The director general (DG) of State Health Services Dr Shailja Bhatt said that in all the deaths it has been found that the victims were suffering from hypertension, had suffered from Covid-19 in the past or were having other diseases. Dr Bhatt reviewed the health facilities in the Yatra with the chief medical officers (CMOs) of the districts covered under the Char Dham Yatra on Wednesday. She said that in the Kedarnath Yatra route eight permanent hospitals and 14 temporary relief posts have been made. In Gangotri route 10 permanent and three temporary health facilities are working while in Yamunotri 11 permanent and four temporary health facilities are available. Similarly 19 permanent and two temporary health facilities are available in Badrinath Yatra route. She claimed that eight blood banks and four blood storage units are operational on the Yatra route
