From Our Bureau
17TH JUNE 2020
India witnessed the highest-ever single day surge in COVID-19 positive cases and deaths on Wednesday. The number of cases crossed the 3.5 lakh mark and the death toll neared 12,000.
According to the latest bulletin from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India registered 10,974 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, taking the overall confirmed cases so far to 3,54,065. The death toll surged to 11,903, as a record 2,003 fresh deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. The toll on Tuesday was only 9,900.
During the last 24 hours, 6,922 COVID-19 patients were cured. A total of1,86,935 patients have been cured of COVID-19 so far. The recovery rate has risen to 52.80 percent. Currently, 1,55,227 active cases are under medical supervision, a net increase of 2,049 in the last 24 hours.
The testing capacity for detecting the novel Coronavirus in infected persons in the country is continuously being ramped up. The country now has the capacity to test 3 lakh samples per day. The total number of samples tested thus far is 60,84,256 with 1,63,187 samples tested in the last 24 hours.
A network of 924 labs has been created in the country as on date. This includes 674 labs in the government sector and 250 in the private sector. The tally comprises Real-Time RT PCR based testing labs: 535 (Govt: 347 + Private: 188); TrueNat based testing labs : 316 (Govt: 302 + Private: 14) and CBNAAT based testing labs : 73 (Govt: 25 + Private: 48).
Sustaining the fight against COVID-19, Indian Railways is making an all-out effort to supplement the health care efforts of State Governments. Indian Railways has geared up to provide its 5,231 COVID Care Coaches to the States. Zonal Railways have converted these coaches as COVID Care Centres to be used for very mild / mild cases.
As of now, Indian Railways has deployed total 960 COVID Care coaches in 5 states, namely, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. Out of total 960 COVID Care coaches, 503 COVID Care coaches have been deployed in Delhi, 20 in Andhra Pradesh, 60 in Telangana, 372 in Uttar Pradesh and 5 in Madhya Pradesh.
In Delhi, 503 COVID Care coaches are deployed at 9 locations. 50 COVID Care coaches are deployed at Shakurbasti, 267 at Anand Vihar, 21 at Delhi Safdarjung, 50 at Delhi Sarai Rohilla, 33 at Delhi Cantonment, 30 at Adarsh Nagar, 13 at Delhi Shahadra, 13 at Tughlakabad and 26 at Patel Nagar.
In Uttar Pradesh, total 372 COVID Care coaches have been deployed at 23 different locations, namely, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Jn., Lucknow, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Faizabad, Saharanpur, Mirzapur, Subedarganj, Kanpur, Jhansi, Jhansi Workshop, Agra, Nakha Jungle, Gonda, Nautanwa, Bahraich, Varanasi City, Manduadih, Mau, Bhatni, Bareilly City, Farrukhabad and Kasganj.
In Madhya Pradesh, total 5 COVID Care coaches are deployed at Gwalior. In Andhra Pradesh, total 20 COVID Care coaches are deployed at Vijayawada while in Telangana, a total of 60 COVID Care coaches are deployed at 3 different locations, namely,. Secunderabad, Kachiguda and Adilabad.
As per guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Government of India, these State Governments have sent the requisition to Indian Railways and Railways have allocated these coaches to the State/Union Territories.
It is worth mentioning that Indian Railways is working as Service Provider of Coaches as COVID Care Centres as its contribution to national cause. Doctors and paramedics are to be provided by State Governments. This is as per MOHFW guidelines issued on 6th May 2020.
Railways will deploy 2 liaison officers for each location of coaches to assist State Government officials. All efforts are being made to reduce the heat in the coaches in the given weather conditions. Railways will assist State Governments in all possible manner to help in care of COVID patients. It may be noted that these Coaches can be used for very mild cases that can be clinically assigned to the COVID Care centers as per guidelines issued by MoHFW. These coaches can be used in areas where the State has exhausted the facilities and needs to augment capacities for isolation of both suspect and confirmed COVID cases. These facilities are part of the integrated COVID plan developed by MoHFW and NITI Ayog. (eom)
