VINIT WAHI / NEW DELHI
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has said that India has one of the lowest global COVID fatality rates. Chairing the 20th Meeting of the high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 in New Delhi, he said, the country’s case fatality rate is at its lowest 1.81 per cent.
Dr Harsh Vardhan said, the recovery rate of COVID cases in the country has reached to 76.47 per cent. He said, only 0.29 per cent of cases are on ventilators, 1.93 per cent on ICU and only 2.88 per cent of cases are on oxygen.
The Minister informed the GoM that more than 338 lakhs of N-95 masks, nearly 135 lakh of PPEs and about 27 thousand ventilators have been provided by the centre to the States and Union Territories.
Health Minister instructed officials to develop Standard Operating Procedures for the Members of Parliament and the Legislative Assembly Sessions comprising COVID protocols and preventive measures. The GOM also expressed concern about the forthcoming festival seasons and advised everyone to adopt safe and COVID appropriate behaviour.
The Chairperson of the Empowered Group-I on Medical Emergency Management Plan Dr. Vinod K Paul apprised the GoM of the process of COVID vaccine development in India and around the world. He stated that 29 candidates, including two Indian ones, are in Clinical Trials.
Out of which six are in Phase-3. In India, Bharat Biotech’s vaccine candidate based on inactivated virus procured by ICMR is in Phase-2 trial along with Zydus Cadila’s candidate which is based on viral DNA. The Oxford vaccine candidate developed by Serum Institute of India is already in Phase-3 trial in Maharashtra and some other states. Dr. Paul also informed the GoM of the progress made by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19.
During the meeting, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Shipping Minister Mansukh Lal Mandaviya, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai were also present on the meeting.