India curtails tour of South Africa, T20 Internationals to be played later
Kolkata, Dec 4: The Indian cricket team's tour of South Africa will go ahead but the team's departure has been postponed by a week and T20 Internationals are no longer a part of the schedule, the two boards announced on Saturday, ending the speculation surrounding the series after a new COVID-19 variant triggered anxiety.
The four T20s will be played at a later date and Cricket South Africa said it will confirm the venues for the new schedule in the next 48 hours.
The Indians were originally set to leave on December 9 but the travel plans have changed, which means that the Tests are unlikely to start on December 17 as planned earlier.
India are scheduled to play three Tests and three ODIs during the tour.
CSA and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah's statements came as the Indian Board officials met for an Annual General Meeting here.
"BCCI has confirmed (to the) CSA that (the) Indian team will travel for three Tests and three ODIs. The remaining four T20Is will be played at a later date," Shah said in a statement.
Cricket South Africa appreciated BCCI's commitment to the series.
"Cricket South Africa can confirm that the India Tour will continue as originally scheduled, with a few adjustment to the logistical arrangements, such as the arrival time of the India Team," the CSA said.
"...the tour is now confirmed and the arrival timings of the India team will be moved out by a week, to allow for effective logistical planning.
"...CSA is pleased to announce that this tour will also take place under the strictest COVID-19 guidelines," it added in a statement.
CSA also made it clear the venues will be picked considering the safety of the players.
"CSA is also pleased to confirm that the allocation of match venues will still be in respect of the Bubble Safe Environment (BSEs) and therefore the decision on the allocations will take into account the need for safer playing environments," it said.
"CSA has instituted these world class standards and measures to ensure that all players, staff and officials are protected within this environment.
"CSA's main focus is to safeguard the cricket biosphere by managing strict entry standards and limited movement outside of its cordon."
South Africa's discovery of the Omicron variant has caused much trepidation as cases have soared in the country. The number of new cases in South Africa has zoomed from close to 200 a day in mid-November to over 16,000 on Friday.
The Netherlands tour of the Rainbow Nation also had to be abandoned after the emergence of the new variant triggered panic all around the world with many countries imposing travel bans on the country.
CSA also had to postpone its domestic fixtures after some of the players tested positive for the virus on arrival.
However, the India A squad stayed on in South Africa raising hopes that the subsequent senior tour will go ahead.
India also did not ban flights from South Africa though it put the nation in the "at risk" category.
The India tour not taking place would have caused massive financial damage to the CSA.
Acting CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki thanked his BCCI counterparts for their support in these trying times.
"I would like to thank both the leadership of Cricket South Africa, as well as the leadership of the BCCI for working so tirelessly to make this tour a reality.
"Even under the most uncertain times, the Boards kept the light of hope alive and kept us anticipating that this tour will indeed take place.
"For us as CSA it is always a meeting of old friends when the Proteas take on India, but we will still present the fans with a compelling proposition and a great spectacle to watch," said Moseki.
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Over 70 pc maternal deaths in Karnataka could've been prevented: Audit report
Bengaluru, Apr 04 (PTI): Nearly 70 per cent of maternal deaths that occurred between April 1 and December 31, 2024, could have been prevented by following certain practices such as optimising cesarean rates and ensuring health facility preparedness, according to the interim maternal death audit report released by the Health and Family Welfare Department on Friday.
Following a sudden spurt in maternal deaths in Ballari during November 2024, the Karnataka government constituted a technical team of experts to examine all maternal deaths from April 1, 2024, and submit an audit report.
According to the report, out of the 464 maternal deaths analysed across districts in the state during this period, 18 were linked to the use of substandard Ringer Lactate solution, reportedly supplied by West Bengal-based manufacturer Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals.
Of the 18 maternal deaths associated with the Ringer Lactate issue, five were reported in Ballari, four in Raichur, four in Bengaluru Urban, three in Uttara Kannada, and one each in the Yadgir and Belagavi districts.
The audit found that 65 per cent of the total maternal deaths occurred in government hospitals, 22 per cent in private hospitals, 10 per cent in transit, and 2 per cent at home.
It noted that the 10 deaths that occurred in transit were caused due to "negligence of the service providers."
The report also revealed that 50 per cent of the maternal deaths occurred among women aged 19 to 25 years, while 6 per cent were among women aged above 35.
Further, 72 per cent of the deaths were among first-time and second-time pregnant women.
Notably, 68.5 per cent of the women who died had one or more risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, infections, or severe anemia—indicating that high-risk pregnancies significantly contributed to maternal mortality.
In contrast, 31 per cent of the deaths occurred in women with no known risk factors.
The audit report stated that 37 per cent of the maternal deaths followed normal deliveries, while 63 per cent were associated with cesarean sections.
According to the state government, Karnataka has made steady progress in reducing maternal deaths and has already achieved the Sustainable Development Goal of a Maternal Mortality Ratio below 70 by 2030.
"As per the latest 2024–25 statistics, the state MMR is 57. Compared to the previous financial year, maternal deaths have decreased in the first three months of this year. In January–March 2024, 148 maternal deaths were reported, while in the same period in 2025, the number dropped to 102," the department said in a statement.
The state-level expert committee also submitted 27 recommendations to improve the quality of antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum services in healthcare facilities.
Key recommendations include capacity building, equipping facilities with essential drugs and equipment, strengthening blood storage units, and mandating hospital stays of three days after normal delivery and seven days after cesarean delivery.
The committee also recommended post-mortem examinations in cases where the cause of death is unclear.
"Birth planning should be done for all pregnant women, including decisions on the time, place, and mode of delivery. Necessary logistics such as transportation—via 108 services or local transport—should be discussed and finalised well before the expected delivery date," the report stated.
According to the Health Department, the committee reviewed all maternal deaths, including those in private facilities, that occurred in Karnataka from April 1 to December 31, 2024.
The audits were conducted by examining healthcare processes based on medical records and oral submissions from doctors and specialists involved in the care of the deceased patients.
