As India crosses 2-million active Covid cases, further concerns and questions

India now has 2,031,977 active cases while the country has 15.3 million confirmed cases -- the second-highest after the United States. 
Family members mourn the death of a Covid victim outside a mortuary. (Photo | Parveen Negi)
Family members mourn the death of a Covid victim outside a mortuary. (Photo | Parveen Negi)

NEW DELHI: As active Covid-19 cases in the country crossed the 2-million mark on Tuesday morning pushing the healthcare infrastructure across India to its limits, the Centre asked states to augment hospital infrastructure in advance for the next three weeks. 

The number of deaths in the country too reached 1761 in the 24-hour period, the highest on any day in the pandemic so far. A total of 180350 people have succumbed to the contagious disease till date.

India now has 2,031,977 active cases while the country has 15.3 million confirmed cases -- the second-highest after the United States. 

Union home and health secretaries Ajay Bhalla and Rajesh Bhushan meanwhile reviewed the pandemic status in the Union Territories on Tuesday while noting that from 20,000 cases reported on January 1, India has been registering almost 10 times more cases daily since April 1. 

Over the last 11 days, new cases have almost doubled from 1.31 lakh reported on April 11 to 2.73 lakh reported on April 11. 

The Centre stressed upon strict enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour along with stricter enforcement of movement restrictions and prohibition of large gatherings and regulated timings for markets etc. 

Bhalla also advised the UTs to increase RT-PCR testing along with the use of rapid antigen testing for screening in clusters. Urgent review of clinical management was strongly recommended along with ramping up testing and hospital infrastructure.

Expressing concern over the worrying scenario, VK Paul, member, Niti Aayog and head of the national Covid-19 task force, pointed out the criticality of the next three weeks for Covid response measures and suggested a survey to promptly identify Covid positive people.

Some experts meanwhile pointed out that many of the large number of deaths being reported every day could be averted if there are mechanisms of efficient triage and early recognition of those at highest risk of eventualities. 

"A large number of hospital beds are occupied by people who are in hospital as a precautionary measure which also translates into those with severe hypoxia going hospital to hospital in search of beds," said public health researcher Oommen John. 

These prolonged delays accelerate the cytokine storm and even when they get a bed it is too late to affect any meaningful Interventions, he pointed out.

John also said that in the absence of any coordinated mechanisms to ensure that those critical and in respiratory distress are responded to in a timely manner, the citizens are running from pillar to post in search of care.

"This is completely avoidable if only a central response system is institutionalised. All RT-PCR tests and vaccination for Covid 19 are centrally monitored, why not for care delivery and efficient bed allocation at a district level?" he asked. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com