Covid-19 Bulletin: 45% of Corona cases reported from 3 states – AP, Maharashtra and Karnataka

New Delhi: The recovery of Covid-19 patients has been continuously rising, with latest data at 76.61%. Around 60,868 people recovered in last 24 hours while total recoveries have crossed 27 lakh, the Health Ministry said. It also informed that the last 5 lakh recoveries have been recorded in only 8 days.

India conducts more than 4.23 crore tests

Starting from a single test in one lab in Pune in January 20202, the daily testing capacity has been scaled up to more than 10 lakh in August 2020. The cumulative tests have crossed 4.23 cr today. 8,46,278 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours. India has registered 78,512 cases in the last 24 hours (Sunday, 30th August 2020). Hence the report by certain Media Entities of about 80,000 cases in the last 24 hours is without any basis. Seven States have contributed to 70% of these new cases in the last 24 hours. Of these, Maharashtra has contributed the maximum case load amounting to almost 21%, followed by Andhra Pradesh (13.5%), Karnataka (11.27%) and Tamil Nadu which stands at 8.27%. Uttar Pradesh with 8.27%, West Bengal with 3.85%, and Odisha with 3.84% are the remaining States contributing to the increased caseload. Of the total cumulative number of cases, 43% are recorded in just three states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. While Tamil Nadu has contributed 11.66% of the total cases. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka account for about 50% of the deaths added in the last 24 hours due to
COVID-19, with Maharashtra leading with 30.48%.

Health Ministry to rush Central teams to UP, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to deploy high level Central teams to four States of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. These States are seeing a sudden surge in the number of COVID cases and some of them are also reporting high mortality. The teams will support the State efforts towards strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of the positive cases. They shall also guide the States in effectively managing the challenges related to timely diagnosis and follow up. As an ongoing effort, the Central Government has been deputing Central teams from time to time to visit various States to interact with the authorities and get a first hand understanding of the challenges and issues being faced by them so as to strengthen their ongoing activities and remove bottlenecks, if any.

Vice President calls for special care and support to the elderly during the pandemic

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has called for providing special care and support to the elderly in the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting the higher degree of risk faced by the older people in health emergencies like this, he also advised the youngsters and other family members to take extra precautions related to COVID-19 if there are elderly members at home. In a facebook post yesterday on the ‘issues pertaining to the elderly population in India’, the Vice President said that seldom, one finds a separate geriatric department in District Hospitals to look after the old age health issues. In view of the frequent health related problems faced by the elderly, he emphasised the need to reorient our health system to address the specific needs of the geriatric population, including insurance coverage. The Vice President also called for providing the elderly an easy and barrier- free access to public places.

Under Unlock 4, more activities open outside Containment Zones

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued new guidelines on 29th August, 2020 for opening up of more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones. In Unlock 4, which will come into effect from September 1, 2020, the process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended further. The new guidelines, issued are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and Departments. According to the new guidelines Metro rail will be allowed to operate with effect from 7th September 2020 in a graded manner, by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs/ Ministry of Railways, in consultation with MHA. In this regard, Standard Operating Procedure will be issued by MOHUA. Social/ academic/ sports/ entertainment/ cultural/ religious/ political functions and other congregations will be permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, with effect from 21st September 2020. However, such limited gatherings can be held with mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer. Open air theatres will be permitted to open with effect from 21st September 2020. It has been decided that Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain closed for students and regular class activity up to 30th September 2020. State/ UT Governments shall not impose any local lockdown (State/ District/ sub-division/City/ village level), outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the Central Government. There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements. MHA will monitor the effective implementation of National Directives.

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare review measures for containing spread of Covid-19

Union Home Secretary and Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) jointly reviewed the measures for containing spread of COVID-19 infection in the Union Territories of Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, in a meeting held on 29.08.2020 through Video Conferencing. The senior officers of UTs, briefed the Union Home Secretary about steps taken by them for testing, management of COVID positive cases, isolation of COVID positive cases, availability of health infrastructure/medical personnel, para-medical staff, etc. Both the Secretaries asked senior officers to ensure that the administrative officers, medical professionals, para-medical staff and other people associated with containing spread of COVID-19 infection and management of COVID-19 situation work in close tandem. The Union Territories were advised to ramp up COVID testing facilities; maintain effective surveillance for early identification of COVID positive cases; effective contact tracing; augmenting house to house surveillance by medical/para-medical teams; better monitoring of home isolation cases; clear demarcation and enforcement of containment measures in the Containment Zones; augment health infrastructure. The UTs were also advised to ensure enforcement of precautionary measures like maintaining social distancing, sanitization, wearing of masks, etc

Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurates Trauma Centre of Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences in Karnataka

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare along with Sh. B.S. Yediyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka digitally dedicated the Super Speciality Trauma Centre (SSTC) in Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Ballari to the nation. The SSTC is built with an investment of Rs 150 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). It has departments of Emergency and Trauma, Neurosurgery and Orthopaedics. This new Block has 8 Operation Theaters including 6 Modular ones, 200 Super Specialty Beds, 72 ICU Beds, 20 Ventilators and the aforementioned state-of-the-art CT Scan and Digital x-ray machine. This facility will have a training capacity of 27 PG students.

Khadi masks popularity soars, KVIC receives repeat order for 10.5 lakh face masks

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has received a repeat order and the biggest order so far for supply of 10.5 lakh high quality face masks to the Indian Red Cross Society. The new purchase order comes less than a month after its previous order for 1.80 lakh face masks out of which KVIC has already supplied 1.60 lakh face masks to the Society.