New Delhi:
Early detection of Covid cases has resulted in low fatality rate: VardhanEarly detection of Covid-19 cases through widespread testing, surveillance and clinical management has resulted in India having one of the lowest fatality rate at 2.66 per cent, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday.
India’s total coronavirus cases have increased to 8,49,553. The country now has 2,92,258 active cases out of the total that were confirmed positive. Yesterday, the tally breached the 8-lakh mark. The total number of deaths that have been reported so far has increased to 22,674. India reported 28,637 new cases in the last 24 hours.
The minister, who visited the Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre (SPCCC) at Chhattarpur to review its Covid-19 management status, also said that "our success" can be seen in the recovery rate which is almost 63 per cent at present.
The 10,200-bed SPCC has been developed at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas as part of coordinated efforts of the Centre and the Delhi government to bolster containment measures, the health ministry said in a statement.
Briefing reporters after his visit, Vardhan said India's clinical protocol has focused on early detection through widespread testing, surveillance, prompt triaging and clinical management of cases.
"This has resulted in one of the lowest case fatality rate of 2.66 per cent. Our success can be seen in the recovery rate which is almost 63 per cent with more than 5.3 lakh patients recovered," he was quoted as saying in the statement.
The minister said that "as we proceed further into Unlock 2.0, it is critical to ensure that all of us rely on the 'social vaccine' 'Do Gaz ki Doori' and each one of us must follow Covid appropriate behaviour".
At the Chhattarpur facility, the health minister visited its kitchen area and inspected the SPCCC's stores, according to the statement.
Meanwhile,Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that India is at a "good position" in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic and the country will fight the disease with determination and enthusiasm, .
Shah spoke after participating in a mega plantation drive initiated by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) that has a target to plant about 1.37 crore saplings in their country-wide campuses by this month-end.
"The world is seeing that if a successful battle has been fought anywhere across the globe against the coronavirus it is India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said
"It was feared that how would a large country like ours would face this challenge given that we have a federal structure of governance, dense population of 130 crore people and no single chain of command," Shah said.
“We are at a good position in this coronavirus battle and will continue this fight with determination and there is no atmosphere of fear. We have the passion to battle it and enthusiasm to defeat it (coronavirus)," Shah said in his address to the chiefs of various CAPFs and troops who heard him over a webinar link.
Talking about the importance of trees in environment protection, the home minister urged the personnel of these forces to adopt at least one plant and ensure that they protect it till it grows bigger than them
"Consider the plant like your child and treat it with the affection and care that you bring up your children," he urged the personnel
"We are facing challenges of global warming, rise in temperature and depletion of the ozone layer.Only trees can save us from environmental challenges and they can help to lessen the existing pollution and nothing else," he said.
He said the home ministry, under the ongoing mega plantation drive, has chosen the maximum of those plants which have a life span of over 100 years so that they can help preserve the nature for long.The Modi government, he said, is working to bring in more clean fuel and as part of that we are enhancing the usage of ethanol over petrol
"I am happy to say that between 2014 and 2020 the production and consumption of ethanol in the country has risen by 20 per cent and we further plan to increase it by another 10 per cent," he said.
During the event, CRPF chief A P Maheshwari informed the minister that all the CAPFs are undertaking the mega plantation drive and his force will plant over 22 lakh saplings.