Actual case load of COVID in the country only 3,58,692

New Delhi, July 18, 2020:

Timely, proactive, and graded strategy initiatives for effective COVID-19 management in the country, led by the Center and implemented by the State/UT governments, have ensured that actual case load of COVID patients remains manageable. The actual case load of COVID in the country is only 3,58,692 today. The number of recovered cases has further increased to 6,53,750. The difference between recovered and active cases is progressively growing. It stands at 2,95,058 today. Medical attention is being provided to all the 3,58,692 active cases, either in home isolation or in hospitals for severe cases.

Coordinated measures taken by the Union and State/UT governments have ensured effective overall management of the COVID pandemic. The Union Government continues to support and supplement the efforts of the State governments by sending Central teams of experts to areas witnessing increase in caseload. A central team has been deployed to Bihar to assist the State in assessment of COVID management in the state and to provide all necessary support. The team consists of Shri Lav Agarwal, Jt Secy (Public Health), MoHFW; Dr S K Singh, Director, NCDC; and Dr Neeraj Nischal, Associate Professor (Medicine), AIIMS, New Delhi. The team will reach Bihar tomorrow.

The focus of containment strategy remains on house-to-house survey, perimeter control activities, timely contact tracing, surveillance of containment and buffer zones, aided by effective clinical management of severe cases through a Standard Of Care approach. Continuously expanding hospital infrastructure has aided in increased recoveries.

The last 24 hours saw 17,994 COVID-19 patients recovering. The recovery rate is now 63%.

The latest testing strategy of ICMR allows all registered medical practitioners to recommend testing. RT-PCR tests and Rapid Antigen Point of Care POC) Tests, boosted by TruNat and CBNAAT have contributed to a surge in the number of samples tested; 3,61,024 samples have been tested in the last 24 hours; The cumulative number of 1,34,33,742 samples tested has raised the testing per million for India to 9734.6.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued Guidelines for Gated Residential Complexes Desirous of Setting Up Small COVID Care Facility by Resident Welfare Associations / Residential Societies / Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The details can be accessed at:

https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/CovidCareFacilityinGatedcomplexes.pdf

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