NEW DELHI: As India recorded 5,611 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest overnight spike so far, the Centre underlined that the country is doing fairly well as only a little over 6 per cent of active cases need oxygen support, ICU care or ventilator support.
In a press briefing that resumed on Wednesday after a gap of 8 days, Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the Union ministry of health and family welfare said that of total 61, 149 active cases, 2.94 % are on oxygen support, 3% in ICU and 0.45 % on ventilators.
“Our recovery rate has been steadily rising and many people are getting cured due to early identification of the infection,” said Agarwal. The recoverry rate after the infection in India has now reached nearly 40 per cent.
The total number of Covid 19 cases in the country, on the other hand, has climbed to 1,06,750 with 3,303 deaths. A total of 140 deaths have been recorded within 24 hours.
The ministry said that as many as 42,298 people have recovered from coronavirus infection while the total count of active cases in the country stands at 61,149.
Seven states - Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh account for over 80% of total COVID-19 cases in the country.
The JS, meanwhile, stressed on the fact that incidents of infection and death rate per lakh population in India is way lesser than most other badly-hit countries and these figures for the country are better than the global average.
Replying to a question on the revised discharge policy that allows hospitalised Covid-19 cases without fever for 10 days to go home without confirming negative status through a test, Agarwal said that evidence shows that pre-symptomatic/mild/moderate cases in such cases have been found to be not spreading infection.
Dr. R R Gangakhedkar, chief epidemiologist at the India Council for Medical Research who appeared in the press briefing after nearly a month, meanwhile said that more than 1 lakh RTPCR tests have been conducted within 24 hours for last two consecutive days.
A total of 25.36 lakh tests have been carried out so far and these tests are being conducted in 391 laboratories within ICMR network and 164 in private sector.
Responding to a question on whether there would be any change in the government guideline for usage of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for treatment or prevention of Covid-19, he said that the matter is under “review”.