New Delhi: The Health Ministry today said that India’s COVID-19 cases per million population is among the lowest in the world, which stands at 3,102 in comparison to 3,527 cases in the world.
Addressing the media, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) is also declining continuously. He said it was at 2.15 per cent in the first week of August and now it stands at 1.70 per cent. He said there is progressive rise in the recovery from COVID-19 infection.
India has 53 deaths per Million population, whereas the world’s average stands at 115. Mr Bhushan said that so far over 33 lakh patients have been cured and discharged from the infection.
Total recoveries exceed 33 lakh
More than 77% of the total cases of COVID-19 have recovered so far in India. The total number of recoveries has crossed 33 lakh (3,323,950). The single day recoveries are also touching a new high. 73,521 COVID-19 patients have recovered and been discharged in the last 24 hours. The number of recovered patients has outpaced the active cases (8,83,697) by more than 24 lakh, and are more than 3.7 times the active cases. India’s Case Fatality Rate (CFR) is maintained below the global average and it stands at 1.70% today.
Tests Per Million on a continuous rise, pegged at 36,703
India has scaled another peak- the cumulative tests have surpassed 5 crore today. India has come a long way from conducting just one test from the lab at National Institute of Virology, Pune in January 2020 to total 5,06,50,128 by today. 10,98,621 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours testifying the enlarged testing capacity in the country. The average daily tests conducted (week wise) are demonstrating a consistent increase. This has registered a 3.2 times expansion from third week of July (3,26,971) to first week of September (10,46,470). Expanding network of diagnostic labs has given a boost to Tests per Million. The TPM have seen a sharp rise from 6396 on 1st of July to 36,703 as of today. The testing lab network in the country is continuously strengthened which as on today consists of 1668 labs in the country; 1035 labs in the government sector and 633 private labs.
‘E-Sanjeevani’ telemedicine service records 3 lakh tele-consultations
‘E-Sanjeevani’ telemedicine service, the platform of the Health Ministry providing tele-consultations, has completed 3 lakh tele-consultations. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare presided over a meet to commemorate the platform’s completion of 1.5 lakh on 9th of August. The platform has registered double that number of consultations within a month since then. One lakh of these tele-consultations were held in the last 20 days. The platform had completed the first 1,00,000 consultations on 23 July 2020, and the subsequent 1,00,000 on 18 August 2020 within a span of 26 days. Ensuring physical distancing, the telemedicine service connects doctors with patients. eSanjeevani platform supports two types of telemedicine services viz. Doctor-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani) and Patient-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani OPD) Tele-consultations. The former is an important pillar of the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWCs) programme. The Health Ministry rolled out the second tele-consultation service ‘eSanjeevaniOPD’ enabling patient-to-doctor telemedicine on 13th April of this year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has proved a boon in containing the spread of COVID while simultaneously enabling provisions for non-COVID essential healthcare. eSanjeevani has been implemented by 23 States so far and other States are in the process of rolling it out. Tamil Nadu alone has contributed 97,204 consultations and all are on the eSanjeevaniOPD app. Uttar Pradesh is second with 65,173 total consultations.
PMGKY: Over 42 crore people get financial assistance of Rs 68,820 crore
As part of the Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), the Government announced free food grains and cash payment to women and poor senior citizens and farmers. The swift implementation of the package is being continuously monitored by Central and State governments. Around 42 crore poor people received financial assistance of Rs 68,820 crore under the PMGKP. So far Rs 17,891 crore front loaded towards payment of the first instalment of PM-KISAN to 8.94 crore beneficiaries, Rs 10,325 crore credited to 20.65 crore (100%) women Jan Dhan account holders as first installment. Rs. 10,315 crore credited to 20.63 crore (100%) women Jan Dhan account holders with second installment. Rs. 10,312 crore credited to 20.62 crore (100%) women Jan Dhan account holders with third installment. Total Rs 2,814.5 crore disbursed to about 2.81 crore old age persons, widows and disabled persons in two installments. Benefits transferred to all 2.81 crore beneficiaries in two installments. 1.82 crore Building & construction workers received financial support amounting to Rs 4,987.18 crore.
ESIC clarification on reporting of alleged improper services at ESIC Hospital and Dispensaries, Noida
ESIC in response to the news published in some of the newspapers about ESI IPs & their Beneficiaries not getting proper treatment at ESIC Hospital and Dispensaries, Noida, has clarified that ESIC Hospital, Noida has been providing dedicated medical care and all types of treatment related services to the IPs and their beneficiaries. This may further be substantiated by the relevant data which shows that ESIC Hospital has done remarkably well in providing medical care during such Covid-19 pandemic.
Railways generates over 8,09,000 mandays of work till 4 Sep, 2020
Indian Railways has generated 8,09,046 mandays of work till 4 September 2020 under Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan in 6 States viz. Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry is closely monitoring the progress made in these projects and generation of work opportunities for the migrant labours of these states under this scheme. Around 164 Railway infrastructure projects are being executed in these states. Till 4 September, 2020, 12,276 workers have been engaged in this Abhiyaan and the payment of Rs 1,631.80 crores has been released to the contractors for the projects being implemented.
Indian Merchants’ Chamber role crucial in post-COVID economy, says Dr. Jitendra Singh
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that Indian Merchants’ Chamber (IMC) role is crucial to post-COVID economy and for realising the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Mission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing online on the 114th Foundation Day ceremony of IMC Chamber of Commerce of Industry yesterday, Dr Jitendra Singh said IMC has a glorious past and a great legacy, with equally high expectations from it for the future. Dr Jitendra Singh said, self-reliant India is key to the concept of Atma Nirbhar Bharat and reputed business organizations like the IMC are expected to take a call. He said, in the post-COVID scenario, when the whole world is trying to rise to the occasion, for India it is both a challenge as well as an opportunity. Esteem of using what is available locally and the urge to create or produce what is not available locally, is the essence of “Local for Vocal”, said Dr Jitendra Singh. The minister further said that the concept of Atmanirbhar Bharat has no conflict with modernity, growth and advancement, but it is to achieve the goal of a Self-Reliant India in a peaceful, progressive and prosperous manner. Dr. Jitendra Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the Atma Nirbhar Package in the wake of Corona Pandemic to help all sectors and wheels of economy with more than Rs 20 lakh Crore, which is about 10% of GDP.
EPFO settles 94.41 lakh claims during pandemic since 1st April
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, EPFO has been able to settle a staggering 94.41 lakh claims thereby disbursing about Rs 35,445 crore to its members during the period of April-August, 2020. During this period, EPFO has settled around 32% more claims as compared to corresponding period of last year (April-August, 2019) while the amount disbursed increased by around 13%. To help its members tide over the liquidity needs during this crisis, EPFO fast tracked settling of COVID-19 advances and illness related claims. It introduced auto mode of settlement for these two categories of advances. Auto mode of settlement reduced the claim settlement cycle to just 3 days for most claims in these two categories against the statutory requirement to settle claims within 20 days. Notably, 55% of advance claims settled during April-August 2020 were related to the recently introduced Covid-19 advance while around 31% of advances settled during the period pertained to illness claims.
