From Our Bureau
19th SEPTEMBER 2020
India witnessed a big spurt with 93,337 fresh COVID-19 positive cases reported on Saturday, taking the country’s cumulative cases to 53,08,014. The death toll rose to 85,619, with 1,247 fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours.
Incidentally, India has moved to the second place now in total number of COVID-19 positive cases among the countries across the world. It ranks next to the United States in overall number of cases. India now ranks third in total number of fatalities, after the United States and Brazil, which occupy the top two slots. Moreover, the daily tally of cases and deaths in India is the highest among all the countries across the globe now.
In a landmark global achievement, India has overtaken USA and become the top country in terms of global COVID-19 recoveries.
India has reported the highest number of total recoveries with more than 42 lakh (42,08,431) COVID patients recovered and discharged. India now accounts for close to 19 percent of the total global recoveries. This has strongly pushed the national Recovery Rate to nearly 80 percent (79.29 percent). The total Recoveries have demonstrated a steep exponential rise.
The Central Government-led focussed, calibrated, responsive and effective measures of early identification through high and aggressive testing, prompt surveillance and tracking coupled with standardised high quality clinical care have together resulted in this global achievement.
In its determined and resolute fight against COVID-19, India has scaled another peak of registering the highest-ever single day recoveries in last 24 hours. A total of 95,880 recoveries have been recorded. Almost 90 percent of the new recovered cases are being reported from 16 States/Union Territories.
Of the new recovered cases, about 60 percent are being reported from five States, viz. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra has alone contributed more than 22,000 (23 percent) and Andhra Pradesh has contributed more than 11,000 (12.3 percent) to the single-day recoveries.
Almost 90 percent of the Total Recovered cases are being reported from 15 States/UTs. The top five States with the maximum caseload viz Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh are also nodal for highest number of Total Recoveries.
The active cases as on today are 10,13,964, accounting for 19.10 percent of the total confirmed cases.
India has maintained a sustained path of reporting very high number of recoveries. These are the result of focussed strategies leading to coordinated effective actions in the States/UTs. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued comprehensive Standard of Care clinical management and treatment protocols. Drawing from global emerging evidence, these have been regularly revised and strengthened.
India has allowed for rational use of ‘Investigational Therapies’ like Remdesevir, convalescent plasma and Tocilizumab and adopted measures such proning, use of high flow oxygen, non-invasive ventilation, use of steroids and anti-coagulants to aid recovery in COVID patients.
Supervised home/facility isolation for mild and moderate cases, improved services of the ambulances for ferrying patients for prompt and timely treatment have enabled seamless and efficient patient management.
AIIMS, New Delhi has handheld the States/UTs for enhancing the clinical management skills of doctors in the ICUs, through the ‘National e-ICU on COVID-19 Management’ and Centers of Excellence. Held twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday, the sessions have aided in substantial increase of the total nationwide recovered cases and maintaining a low and steadily declining mortality rate. 19 such National e-ICUs have been held covering 249 hospitals of 28 States/UTs across the country, till date.
The Central Government has been regularly reviewing the assistance provided to the State/UT governments. Several high level multi-specialist Central teams have been deployed in States/UTs. These support them for strengthening Containment, Surveillance, Testing and efficient Clinical Management.
The Central Government has also been regularly reviewing availability of medical oxygen in the hospitals/health facilities. These have played a critical intervention role in India’s high recoveries and maintained a low Case Fatality Rate (CFR), which currently stands at 1.61 percent. (eom)
