New Delhi: The number of coronavirus cases in India closing towards 60,000-mark after 3,320 patients were reported in the last 24 hours and 95 deaths linked to the deadly disease were registered in a single day.
India has so far reported 59,662 cases, 1,981 deaths. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 39,834, while 17,846 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, according to the Union Health Ministry.
"Thus, around 29.91 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said. The total number of cases also include 111 foreign nationals.
A total 95 deaths deaths were reported since Friday morning, of which 37 in Maharashtra, 24 in Gujarat, nine in West Bengal, seven in Madhya Pradesh, four each from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, three from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and two from Delhi and one each from Punjab and Haryana.
No cases in 216 districts
As many as 216 districts in the country have not reported any COVID-19 cases till now, 42 districts have not registered any infections in the last 28 days and 29 districts have not recorded any case in the last 21 days.
The ministry asserted that if dos and don'ts are followed, the peak in number of COVID-19 cases can be avoided.
Giving a district-wise situation, Agarwal said there are 216 districts in which no COVID-19 case has been reported till date. Forty-two districts have had no fresh cases in the last 28 days, there are 29 districts with no fresh cases in the last 21 days, 36 districts with no fresh cases in the last 14 days and 46 districts with no fresh cases in the last seven days, he said.
Asked about AIIMS Delhi Director, Dr Randeep Guleria's remarks citing data that the peak of the disease in India may be reached in June or July, Agarwal said, If we follow dos and don'ts, we may not reach the peak in number of COVID-19 cases and our curve may remain flat.
Agarwal also said that that the ICMR will conduct clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in 21 hospitals.
The hospitals where the trials will be conducted comprise five from Maharashtra, four from Gujarat, two each from Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, UP and one each from Karnataka, Chandigarh, Punjab, Telangana.
He said 3.2 per cent of total active COVID-19 cases are on oxygen support, 4.2 per cent in ICU and 1.1 per cent on ventilator:
During the briefing, Agarwal also said the railways has converted 5,231 coaches into COVID Care Centres which will be placed at 215 identified railway stations and will be used for treatment of very mild and mild COVID19 patients.
As migrant workers return to their home states, it is essential that all guidelines and precautions regarding infection prevention and management are to be followed, we request workers to understand that this is for their own benefit, their people, village and city, Agarwal said.
He was referring to the accident in Auranganbad in Maharashtra in which 16 migrant workers were crushed to death by a goods train when they were sleeping on the tracks.
