Covid-19 Bulletin: Highest single day recovery of 87,472, recovered cases 4.04 times of active cases

New Delhi: The Health Ministry today said that the recovery rate of COVID-19 has further improved to 78.86 per cent. Highest single day recoveries of 87,472 was recorded in last 24 hours.

According to official figure, total number of recoveries has reached over 41.12 lakh. The constantly increasing recoveries have ensured that the actual caseload of the country is reduced and currently comprises 19.52% of total cases. Total number of active cases stand at 10.17 lakh.

Top 5 states with high caseload also have high level of recovery

India has recorded an unprecedented high of single day recoveries. 87,472 active cases have recovered and been discharged in the past 24 hours from home/facility supervised care and hospitals. India has been consistently reporting a very high level of daily recoveries of more than 70,000 since the past 11 days. The Recovery Rate has further escalated to 78.86% today. The total recovered cases thus stand at 41,12,551. Recovered Cases are 4.04 times the number of Active Cases as recoveries outnumber the latter by 30,94,797. The top 5 States with high Active Caseload are also the ones which are presently reporting a high level of recoveries. 59.8% of the active cases are being reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. These States are also contributing to 59.3% of the total recoveries. 90% of the new recoveries are reported from 16 States and UTs. Maharashtra (19,522) contributed 22.31% of the new recoveries while the States of Andhra Pradesh (12.24%), Karnataka (8.3%), Tamil Nadu (6.31%) and Chhattisgarh (6.0%) followed with 32.8% of the new recoveries. These States together contribute 55.1% of total new recoveries. Case Fatality Rate (CFR) currently stands at 1.62%.

Health Ministry organizes Seminar on World Patient Safety Day

On the occasion of second World ‘Patient safety Day’, a webinar was organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare & National Health System Resource Centre yesterday,to give impetus to the endeavours directed towards improving the safety of patientsas well as health care worker, since both are closely inter-linked.The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled huge challenges and risks, which front-line health workers face while caring for the patients. The theme for Patient safety this year is “Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety” and the Slogan is “Safe health workers, Safe patients”In his address, the health secretary emphasised different steps, which the Government of India has taken for protection of hospital workers. A few of the such steps are ensuring availability of PPE and Masks, insurance coverage of Rs. 50.0 Lakhs, functional helpline, advisory on chemoprophylaxis, etc. The Health secretary also highlighted the importance of putting a transparent “Reporting and Learning System” in place.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan addresses G20 Finance and Health Ministers Meeting

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, attended Joint G20 Finance and Health Ministers Meeting through video conference, yesterday.Dr. Harsh Vardhan extolled the virtues of investing in public health, an approach already underway in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh. NarendraModi. He said that there is need to focus on creating effective health systems for improved pandemic preparedness. While all the other action plans are a response to a pandemic, a well-developed healthcare system can support even in containing the pandemic. The minister urgedto ensure that access to COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines is fair and equitable and access to protection should not be a factor of ability to pay.

PM Modi inaugurates Kosi Rail Mahasetu, New Rail Lines launched in Bihar

The Prime Minister Shri NarendraModi dedicated the historic Kosi Rail Mahasetu to the Nation and inaugurated new Rail Lines and Electrification Projects in Bihar for the benefit of passengers through video conference.Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Shri NarendraModi said a new history has been created in the field of rail connectivity in Bihar.The Prime Minister said for the past 6 years, efforts are being made to shape the Indian Railways as per the aspirations of a new India and fulfil the expectations of a ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat’. He said today Indian Railways is cleaner than ever before. He added Indian Railways have been made safer than ever by eliminating unmanned rail crossings from the broad gauge rail lines.The Prime Minister lauded the railways for working tirelessly during the crisis of Corona. He said Railways played a prominent role in providing employment to migrant labourers and also bringing them back through Shramik Special Trains.

India has Lowest Coronao cases per million

India has one of the lowest cases per million population. It is 3445 for India as compared to 19295 for USA, 20146 for Brazil, 7283 for Russian Federation and 10929 for South Africa. However, cases per million population for India is high as compared to other countries in South East Asia. The low case fatality in India can be attributed to early case detection through community-based surveillance, containment measures including strict perimeter control, house-to-house case search & follow-up with monitoring of oxygen saturation, early referral to COVID treatment facilities and adequate case management.The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), ShAshwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the LokSabha here today.

Centre rushes High Level Central team to Jammu

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to depute a high level Central team to Jammu. The district has reported a rise in the number of new COVID cases in the recent days.The team will support the State efforts towards strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of the positive cases. The Central team shall also guide in effectively managing the challenges related to timely diagnosis and follow up.As an ongoing effort to strengthen efforts of various State/UT Governments for COVID management, the Central Government has been deputing Central teams from time to time to visit various States/UTs.

Nearly 30 Covid vaccine candidates under various stages of development

Five National COVID-19 Bio-repositories have been established by the Department of Biotechnology. This is a part of the Network of 16 COVID-19 bio repositories established in the country by Department of Biotechnology, Indian Council of Medical Research and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. Nationally, nearly 30 Covid vaccine candidates are under development, by both industry and academia. These vaccines are in different stages of pre-clinical and clinical development of which 3 candidates are in advanced stage of Phase I/II/III trials and 4 are in advanced pre-clinical development stage. Support is also being extended for development of vaccine associated research resources, establishment of clinical trial sites and notifying enabling regulatory guidelines.This information was given by the Union Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhanin a written reply in LokSabha today.

Change in Skill Development Programmes Post Covid-19

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship through National Skill Development Corporation is imparting on-line skilling through ‘e-SkillIndia’ platform in the midst of COVID-19 lockdown. Further, Ministry of Home Affairs has permitted the conduct of skill training programmes in physical form from September 21, 2020 onwards. Accordingly, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) has been issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for restarting the training.Under PMKVY, as on 17.03.2020, 42.02 lakh and 33.66 lakh candidates have been trained and certified, respectively, under Short Term Training courses. Out of these certified candidates, 17.54 lakh candidates have been provided with placement. Also, 49.12 lakh candidates who already have the informal skills but are not formally certified have been oriented under Recognition of Prior Learning component of the scheme.This information was given by the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri R.K. Singh in a written reply in the RajyaSabha today.

Steps to Promote Export during Pandemic

Since March 2020, during COVID-19 pandemic, regular meetings were held with the Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Industry bodies and Associations to discuss issues and problems faced by the exporters and ways to promote exports during the pandemic. The issues raised by them were taken up with the concerned Ministries/Departments for an early redressal. Government has taken a few key steps to boost exports: The validity of Foreign Trade Policy (2015-20) extended by one year i.e. upto 31-3-2021 and relaxations granted and time lines extended due to COVID-19, Extension of export obligation period in respect of Advance Authorizations and Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) authorizations under Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), extension of Letter of Permissions (LoP) / Letter of Intents (LoI) of Export Oriented Units, various relaxations to SEZ units as a measure to make them functional and to ease compliances and simplification and liberalization of procedures of trade remedial investigations, Interest Equalization Scheme on pre and post shipment rupee export credit has been extended by one year i.e. upto 31-3-2021. Line Ministries have notified various sectoral incentive packages, such as Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and PLI Scheme by Department of Pharma for Key Starting Materials/ Drug Intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) etc. This information was given by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri PiyushGoyal, in a written reply in the RajyaSabha today.

Health Outreach Services during Covid-19

The Government has been regularly reviewing the situation in consultation with States/UTs. In order to improve the nutritional status of Women and Children, Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing Supplementary Nutrition Programme under Anganwadi Services and Scheme for Adolescent Girls under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services Scheme to children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and out-of-school Adolescent Girls (11-14 years).As per the directions issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, all the Anganwadi Centres across the country were closed to limit the impact of COVID-19. However, to ensure continuous nutritional support to Anganwadibeneficiaries, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers have been distributing supplementary Nutrition at the doorsteps of the beneficiaries. Further, WCD Ministry has issued necessary directions to the States/UTs to ensure distribution of food items and nutrition support by Anganwadi workers, once in 15 days, at the doorstep of beneficiaries. In addition, Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers have been assisting the local administration in community surveillance, creating awareness or other works assigned to them from time to time.This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Women and Child DevelopmentSmt. SmritiZubinIrani in LokSabha today.