NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday reiterated that the lockdown period has been gainfully utilized to ramp up the health infrastructure in the country to tackle Covid-19 crisis.
It outlined that a large number of isolation centres, ICUs and oxygen-supported beds have been set up for the management of Covid-19 patients while stressing that scientific input given by the National Task was being used to respond to the crisis.
"There are reports in a section of media about some decisions of the government regarding the lockdown implementation and response to COVID-19 management,” said a statement issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. “The period of the lockdown has been gainfully utilized to ramp up the health infrastructure in the country.”
The ministry said that as of now 26,15,920 samples have been tested using RTPCR technique of which 1,03,532 tests have been conducted in last 24 hours through 555 testing labs - 391 in the government sector and 164 private labs.
According to the statement, at least 3,027 dedicated Covid hospitals and Covid health centres along with 7,013 Covid care centres have been identified.
“Additionally, more than 2.81 lakh isolation beds, over 31,250 ICU beds, and 11,387 oxygen supported beds have already been identified in dedicated Covid hospitals and Covid health centres,” it added.
In addition, the government said, it is consulting and involving epidemiologists actively at all levels in order to combat Covid-19, maintained the ministry.
“The National Task Force for Covid-19 constituted by the ICMR has held 20 meetings since mid-March and has systematically and effectively contributed towards the scientific and technical response to the pandemic," said the ministry.
It said a team, including researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research - an autonomous institute under the department of science and technology - has developed a heuristic predictive model for Covid 19 that provides short-term predictions about the evolution of the disease and the medical needs that are generated as a consequence.
It also said that ICMR in collaboration the ministry and the National Centre for Disease Control with support from state health departments and key stakeholders including WHO, is conducting a community-based serosurvey to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Indian population.