From Our Bureau
19th MAY 2020
A total of 1,01,139 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country so far and the death toll mounted to 3,163 on Tuesday.
India currently has 58,802 active cases which are under active medical supervision. Only 2.9 percent of the active cases are in the ICU. So far, a total of 39,174 patients have been cured of COVID-19. In the last 24 hours, a total of 2,350 patients have been cured. The recovery rate has improved to 38.73 percent among COVID-19 patients.
In terms of case mortality per lakh population, India has so far about 0.2 deaths per lakh population versus 4.1 deaths per lakh population for the world as a whole. The status of deaths per lakh population for countries having the highest number of deaths, vide WHO situation report-119, is as follows:
Countries | Total Deaths | Case mortality per lakh population |
World | 3,11,847 | 4.1 |
United States of America | 87180 | 26.6 |
The United Kingdom | 34636 | 52.1 |
Italy | 31908 | 52.8 |
France | 28059 | 41.9 |
Spain | 27650 | 59.2 |
Brazil | 15633 | 7.5 |
Belgium | 9052 | 79.3 |
Germany | 7935 | 9.6 |
Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 6988 | 8.5 |
Canada | 5702 | 15.4 |
Netherlands | 5680 | 33.0 |
Mexico | 5045 | 4.0 |
China | 4645 | 0.3 |
Turkey | 4140 | 5.0 |
Sweden | 3679 | 36.1 |
India | 3163* | 0.2 |
* Latest figures updated for 19th May, 2020
The relatively low death figures represent timely case identification and clinical management of the cases.
Testing
A record number of 1,08,233 samples were tested yesterday in the country. So far a total of 24,25,742 samples have been tested. From one laboratory conducting COVID-19 tests in January 2020, India has very rapidly increased its testing capacity by adding over 385 government laboratories and 158 private laboratories for testing in the country.
Duly forging partnerships with all central government labs, state’s medical colleges, private medical colleges and private sector, the testing capacity in the country has been expanded. Other testing machines like TrueNAT and CBNAAT have also been mobilized to ramp up testing.
Through 14 AIIMS-like mentor institutions, handholding of labs across the country is undertaken to ensure adequate bio-safety standards and accreditation of the laboratories. To maintain steady supply of testing material to the labs, 15 depots have been created by roping in India Posts and private agencies for distribution.
Many Indian companies have been supported to undertake production of testing material which was earlier primarily sourced from abroad. This has helped in maintaining steady supplies across the country.
MoHFW’s New Guidelines
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued revised testing guidelines for COVID-19. In addition to earlier criteria, the testing strategy has been widened to include frontline workers involved in containment and mitigation of C0VlD-19, all hospitalized patients who develop lLl symptoms and all symptomatic ILI among returnees and migrants within 7 days of illness.
The Union Health Ministry has issued guidelines on preventive measures to contain spread of COVID-19 in workplace settings to deal if suspect or confirmed case of COVID-19 is detected in these settings. The Ministry has also issued guidelines for Dental Professionals in COVID-19 pandemic situation as the Dentists, auxiliaries as well as patients are at high risk of cross-infection.
These guidelines entail basic preventive measures to be observed by all (employees and visitors) at all times. They also detail the process to be followed if a confirmed case is reported including management of contacts and the process for disinfection.
It is important to ensure effective community awareness on preventive measures such as personal hygiene, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquettes, promote use of face cover and physical distancing. (eom)