New Delhi, May 18 (TIWN) Doctors are risking their lives during the coronavirus infection with as many as 269 doctors having died during the second wave of the pandemic. K.K. Aggarwal, a Padma Shri awardee and former National President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), died of Covid-19 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.

State-wise data revealed by IMA show states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have suffered the highest casualty among doctors. In Bihar, 78 doctors have died while in Uttar Pradesh, 37 have died in the second wave.  Delhi, which was severely affected by the second wave, has seen 28 doctors die due to Covid-19.  India also lost another 748 doctors in the first wave of Covid-19 last year. While the IMA says that a thousand doctors have died due to Covid so far, the actual numbers may be higher as the doctors’ association only keeps a record of its 3.5 lakh members. India has more than 12 lakh doctors.