New Delhi: The recovery numbers from COVID-19 pandemic keeps rising, with latest figure of more 56 lakh recoveries. Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan today told media that the recovery rate has suprassed 84% as new recoveries are surpassing new COVID-19 cases in recent days.

Active cases have been maintained below 10 lakhs for last two weeks. Average daily COVID-19 positivity rate is also going down. It was 9.21% during 16th to 22nd September and has now come down to 6.82% during September 30 to October 6.

74% of new recovered cases in 10 states/UTs

India continues to report a trend of steadily declining active cases as a percentage of the total positive cases. Presently the active cases comprise merely 13.75% of the total positive cases of the country standing at 9,19,023.The declining trend of the percentage active cases is commensurately supported by rising percentage of recovered cases. The total recovered cases stand at 56,62,490. The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases has crossed 47 lakh (47,43,467).With increasing number of recoveries, this gap is continuously widening. Higher number of recoveries has aided the national Recovery Rate to further improve to 84.70%. 75,787 have recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours whereas the new confirmed cases stand at 61,267.

The new recoveries have exceeded the new confirmed cases in 25 States/UTs.74% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs viz. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. Maharashtra alone has contributed the maximum with nearly 13,000 single day recovery.61,267 new confirmed cases were recorded in last 24 hours.75% of the new cases are from 10 States and UTs. Maharashtra continues to be the State reporting a very high number of new cases with more than 10,000 cases followed by Karnataka with more than 7,000 cases.884 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours.Of these, nearly 80% are concentrated in ten State/UTs of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.More than 29% of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra (263 deaths).

Dr. Harsh Vardhan releases National Clinical Management Protocol

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare today released National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurveda and Yoga for management of COVID-19 in the virtual presence of Sh. Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge). Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog and Dr. V. K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog also joined virtually. An Interdisciplinary Committee for integration of Ayurveda and Yoga Interventions in the ‘National Clinical Management Protocol: COVID-19’, chaired by Dr V M Katoch, former Director General ICMR and a group of experts with domain knowledge had formulated the report and submitted recommendations based on acceptable experimental and clinical data.

Hailing the achievement on the part of Ministry of AYUSH that the advisories for boosting the immunity of the people have become highly popular, Dr. Harsh Vardhan noted, “Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi ji has emphasized following AYUSH advisories for management of COVID-19 crisis. This protocol dealing with preventive and prophylactic measures is a significant step in not only in management of COVID but also in making traditional knowledge relevant to solving problems of the modern time”. He expressed satisfaction with the inclusion of easily available and common Ayurvedic herbs and formulations like Guduchi, Ashwagandha, AYUSH-64 in treating mild and asymptomatic COVID cases.

Dr Harsh Vardhan chairs 5th Special Session of the WHO Executive Board

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare presided over the fifth special session of Bureau of the Executive Board as Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO), virtually yesterday. Observer participants and senior officials of WHO Headquarters were also present.The agenda of the meet included focus on the measures necessary to ensure the full and effective implementation of the terms of resolution WHA 73.1 on COVID-19 response.The resolution WHA 73.1 titled “COVID-19 response” was co-sponsored by more than 130 countries and calls for the intensification of efforts to control the pandemic and for equitable access to and fair distribution of all essential health technologies and products to combat the virus.Recollecting the global crisis the pandemic has unleashed, he said: “Today there are compelling circumstances that have forced us all to meet virtually.Governments, industry and philanthropy must pool resources to pay for the risk, the research, manufacturing and distribution, but with the condition that the rewards should be available to everyone, regardless of where they have been developed.Dr Harsh Vardhan urged WHO members to work with the global community of partners for the efficient, effective and responsive discharge of public health obligations.

DBT-THSTI recognized as a Global Bioassay Laboratory to assess COVID 19 Vaccine

Translational Health Science And Technology Institute (THSTI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, has now been recognized by Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness for Innovation (CEPI ) as one of the Global network of Laboratories for centralized assessment of COVID 19 Vaccines. The CEPI network will initially involve six labs, one each in Canada, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Bangladesh and India. Under the CEPI Global network the Laboratory will use the same reagents and follow a common set of protocols to measure the immune response of multiple vaccine candidates under development and trial. This will greatly harmonize the Vaccine trial process and allow different vaccine candidates to be compared and speed up the selection of the most effective candidate.

Prakash Javadekar releases SOP for film exhibition; Cinema halls to open with 50% seating

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shri Prakash Javadekar released the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)for film exhibition today. The SOP on preventive measures for Exhibition of Films has been prepared in consultation with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Releasing the SOP, the Minister said that as per decision of Ministry of Home Affairs, cinema halls will reopen from 15th October, 2020 and to that end Ministry of I&B has prepared this SOP. The highlights of the guiding principles include the general principles which have been given by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare including thermal screening of all visitors/ staffs, adequate physical distancing, use of face covers/ masks, frequent hand washing, provision of hand sanitizers etc. and respiratory etiquettes specifically with regard to the exhibition of films.

The Ministry has formulated the general SOPs taking into consideration international practices notified in the sector including physical distancing, entry and exit with designated queue markers, sanitization, safety of staff, contact minimization. The seating arrangements shall be restricted to 50 percent of the seating capacity. Multiplex show timings shall be staggered, so as to not have overlap of show timings. Temperature setting shall be in the range of 24°- 30°c.The Guiding principle and SOP may be used by all States and other stake holders and State Governments while resuming Exhibition of Films.

Ministry of Education issues SOP/Guidelines for reopening of schools

Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education has issued SOP/Guidelines for reopening of schools yesterday. Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ announced regarding SOP/Guidelines of DoSEL for reopening of schools through his tweet.SOP/Guidelines of Department of School Education & Literacy for reopening of schools includes: As per para -1 of MHA order no. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated 30.09.2020 for reopening, States/UT Governments may take a decision in respect of reopening of schools and coaching institutions after 15.10.2020 in a graded manner in consultation with the respective schools/institutions management and based on local situation, Part I refers to the health and safety aspects for reopening schools. These are based on the prevailing instructions of Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with regard to health and safety protocols, and maybe implemented by adopting/adapting in accordance with the local situation in all States/UTs. Part II refers to learning with physical/social distancing and the academic aspects related to the delivery of education, such as, curriculum transactions, instructional load, timetables, assessment, etc. These are advisory in nature. States &UTs may use these in the manner deemed fit to prepare their own guidelines.