In the last 24 hours, 1,813 new cases were reported, taking the total number of cases to 31,787, and 7,796 patients have recovered, making the recovery rate nearly 25 per cent. (File Photo)
Even as discussions on where each district stands in terms of coronavirus cases and the opening up formula continued in the government, the country recorded its highest 24-hour toll — 71, it was announced on Wednesday.
In all, 1,008 people have died of COVID-19 across the country so far.
In the last 24 hours, 1,813 new cases were reported, taking the total number of cases to 31,787, and 7,796 patients have recovered, making the recovery rate nearly 25 per cent.
So far, 7,70,764 tests have been conducted in the country in private and ICMR laboratories.
In an interaction with the Lions Club International members from across the country, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that there are “a little over 300 districts in the country with no cases and another 300 with minimal – between 1 and 5 – cases”.
He also said that the doubling time over the last three days is 11.3 days.
According to the minister, although the global mortality rate is around 7 per cent, India has so far shown a mortality rate of around 3 per cent, with nearly 86 per cent fatality of patients with co-morbidities.
While the discussion currently is centred around a graded opening up of the nationwide lockdown, a source close to the Health Minister indicated that he is in favour of continuation of the lockdown.
The source said, “The decision has not been taken yet on how the relaxations will be implemented. The Prime Minister himself is consulting all stakeholders and taking as many inputs as possible…. We cannot risk a disaster.”
“If you ask the minister personally,” the source added, “he would tell you that it may be better to maintain status quo.”
Signalling a change in the protocol so far, the Health Ministry has already announced that offices where a COVID case has been detected need not be closed down, as was the protocol earlier.
“If there is a COVID patient in a non-COVID hospital, that facility can be used after disinfection. The same process is to be followed for any other location where a COVID patient is detected. The building can be used after proper disinfection,” Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal had said on Tuesday.
In his interaction with the Lions Club members, Vardhan said: “This time the hallmark of our approach has been five-fold: (i) maintaining a continuous situation awareness, (ii) preemptive and proactive approach, (iii) graded response as per continuously evolving scenario, (iv) inter-sectoral coordination at all levels, and, most importantly (v) creating a people’s movement to combat this disease.”