A total of 1718 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID 19 cases to 33,050. Briefing media in New Delhi, a Health Ministry official said recovery rate has improved from 13.06 per cent to above 25 percent in 14 days which is a positive sign. The doubling rate of novel coronavirus is now 11 days compared to 3.4 days before lockdown. 67 deaths and 630 recoveries have occurred in the past 24 hours.
States whose doubling rate is better than national average are Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Punjab. States whose doubling rate is between 20 to 40 days include Karnataka, Ladakh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Kerala. Assam, Telangana, Chattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh have doubling rate of above 40 days.
The fatality rate is 3.2 percent and comorbidities was found in COVID-19 patients in 78 percent of the deaths. A total of 8,324 patients, which is 25.19 per cent of total cases, have recovered so far. 23 thousand 651 people are under active medical supervision.
The Health Ministry has issued guidelines regarding measures to be undertaken if a suspected or confirmed COVID 19 case is detected in a non-COVID health facility. Services can be continued in such health facilities after due disinfection procedure. A detailed advisory has been issued on the use of Hydroxy-Chloroquine as prophylaxis for novel coronavirus infection on the 23rd of last month.
ICMR is coordinating with states regarding use of Rapid Antibody Test Kits. The Health Ministry official said there is a need to understand that this test has very limited utility – for surveillance. For testing and treatment, the test to be used is RT-PCR. A total of 49,800 RT-PCR tests have been done in last 5 days, and only RT PCR should be done as far as testing and treatment protocol is concerned.
As of now, there is no confirmed treatment protocol for COVID-19. Remdesivir is one protocol which is being examined. Even the study on remdesivir has not conclusively proved its effectiveness. Multiple organizations in the government are engaged in multiple vaccine trials for COVID 19. India is also part of WHO’s Solidarity Trial and some candidate vaccines have been identified but nothing conclusive has come up.
Home Ministry official said Inter Ministerial Central Team, Hyderabad has found that implementation of lockdown and physical distancing is being done more or less well. It visited Gandhi Hospital and found all guidelines are being followed. It found that food and other necessities are being provided at shelter homes. Municipal Corporation has arranged mobile canteens that are serving food to old age homes, orphanages, night shelters, and transgenders. The central team visited King Koti Hospital, and found that all protocols are being followed there as well.
IMCT Chennai has found that recovery rate in Tamil Nadu is very good, and 57 percent of people with COVID 19 have recovered. The team has found that migrant labourers are satisfied with the facilities arranged for them in shelter camps.
The official said Home Ministry had yesterday permitted transport of stranded people like students, migrant labourers, tourists and pilgrims, but state governments must ensure these things before they transport such persons. Government has issued orders to states and union territories to facilitate inter-state movement of stranded people, as per guidelines laid down by Home Ministry and as per protocols developed by states. This procedure is for movement of stranded persons between states to travel by bus and for groups of persons.
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