Over 7000 patients cured and discharged

Our Correspondent / New Delhi

The number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the country has climbed to 29,974 today while the death toll rose to 937. Health Ministry data said, the number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 22 thousand 10 and 7 thousand 26 people were either cured of the disease and discharged and one had migrated.

Briefing media in New Delhi, an Health Ministry official said, there has been progressive increase in the recovery rate in the country. The official said, no new cases of COVID-19 reported from 17 districts in the last 28 days.

He said, WHO data shows that the combined population of 20 nations where maximum COVID-19 cases have been found is almost same as India’s population and these nations have together reported 84 times the number of cases reported in India. The Official said, compared to the 20 nations where maximum COVID-19 cases have been reported, India has reported only 1/200 times the number of deaths as the total number of deaths in these 20 countries. He said, currently there are no approved therapies, including plasma therapy, for treatment of COVID-19.

The Official said, until ICMR concludes its study and a robust scientific proof is available, Plasma therapy should be used only for research or trial purpose.

He said, if plasma therapy is not used in proper manner under proper guidelines then it can also cause life threatening complications. The Official said, there is a need to project the good work happening out of implementation of the containment strategy. He said, such positive efforts related to COVID-19 will boost the confidence of the frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19.

Home Ministry official said, the Inter-Ministerial Central Team IMCT to Ahmedabad has found that the administration has adequate facility to shift patients to dedicated COVID Hospitals as required. She said, 19-20 patients have been shifted to such hospitals.

The official said, Ahmedabad Central team has found there is joint supervision by police and medical teams at entry points to quarantine clusters. They also found that hospital facilities are satisfactory, based on discussion with patients’ relatives as well. She said, Ahmedabad administration has taken various steps, including house-to-house survey and use of data sources such as electoral rolls, Project Lifeline and others, to conduct surveillance of vulnerable population and perform their testing.

The Home Ministry Official said, Ahmedabad Central team has suggested that with the help of Central Government, the state may set up a multidisciplinary research unit at Sardar Patel Hospital, where COVID19 testing facilities can be set up. She informed that the Ahmedabad team found that a Gram Yoddha Samiti has been constituted in every gram panchayat, which facilitates door-step delivery of essential items and adherence to lockdown measures. The team has recommended this system be followed in other states too.

The Central team visited Kathwada and Naroda shelter homes, and suggested that labourers may be accommodated for maintenance of social distancing in 33 shelter homes, where adequate facilities are available.

The Official said, IMCT Ahmedabad has found pharma industries are functional in Sanand industrial base. Auto industry too is operational at 50 per cent capacity. Out of 50 thousand workers, around 30 thousand people have returned. She said, IMCT held discussions with various stakeholders including textile and diamond industries, who are major employers of labourers and most labourers have received the pay for last month. She said, Inter-Ministerial Central Teams found that Surat administration is using modern techniques for detection and tracking of cases.