Coronavirus India Updates: Total Covid-19 Cases Reach 3,072, Death Toll At 75
Track latest news updates and developments on how the coronavirus situation is evolving in India here.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
The total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in India rose to 3,072 on Saturday as the country saw another record one-day spike in infections. This includes 213 cured or discharged and 75 people who succumbed to the respiratory illness.
India added 525 new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, according to health ministry data. Cases have more than tripled in the last seven days. Today is the eleventh day of the 21-day lockdown, slated to end on April 14.
The spike shows how quickly cases have multiplied in India. The country reported its 1,000th Covid-19 case on March 29—nearly two months after reporting its first case. The next thousand cases were added in merely four days. It took just two more days to add the third thousand.
India’s health ministry today said that 30 percent of the cases have been linked to a religious gathering of Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi between March 13-15. Total number of positive cases linked to the event is at 1,023 spread across 17 states, joint health secretary Luv Agarwal said in a daily press briefing.
The health ministry today released an analysis of age profiles of Covid-19 patients in India, suggesting higher incidence in younger people.
Globally, coronavirus cases crossed the one million mark while the death toll stood at 58,000, according to the latest available data from Johns Hopkins.
Track latest news updates and developments on how the coronavirus situation is evolving in India here:
Health Ministry Issues Guidelines For States On Oxygen Supply
The health ministry has issued guidelines for the states on the method of supplying oxygen to the medical facilities handling Covid-19 patients and said all hospitals and staff concerned must be told to ensure timely requisitions and payments so that there is no disruption in the oxygen supply.
In a letter to the additional chief secretaries, health secretaries and mission directors of the National Health Mission of all states and Union territories, the ministry said the COVID-19 pandemic is throwing up unique challenges for our health systems and also leading to challenges of not only ensuring an adequate oxygen supply but also regarding the protocols related to handling the major sources of supplies.
Source: PTI
India Adds 525 New Cases
India added 525 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday taking the total in the country to 3,072 infections.
- Active cases: 2,784
- Cured/discharged/migrated: 213
- Deaths: 75
47 New Cases In Maharashtra
Maharashtra added 47 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday taking the total tally of the state to 537.
Health Ministry Data Suggests More Cases In Younger People
India’s health ministry today shared the age profile for Covid-19 cases in India that indicated a higher presence in younger people.
Here’s the age-wise split of positive cases in India:
- 0-22 years: 9 percent
- 21-40 years: 42 percent
- 41-60 years: 33 percent
- 60+ years: 17 percent
At present, there are 58 critical cases in the country, joint health secretary Lav Agarwal said in the daily press briefing. "We are dealing with an infectious disease. Every day is a battle," Agarwal said.
Agarwal also said that 1,023 positive cases across 17 states have been found linked to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi. That's a third of all cases in India.
Watch the press conference here.
PM Asks Officials To Ensure Availability Of Medical Equipment
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a meeting of various empowered groups set up to respond to the coronavirus threat and directed officials to ensure sufficient availability of all essential medical equipment such as personal protective equipment, masks, gloves and ventilators.
In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister's Office said Modi reviewed the countrywide preparedness regarding the availability of hospitals, proper isolation and quarantine facilities as well as disease surveillance, testing and critical care training.
