Over 4 lakh fresh COVID-19 cases for fourth consecutive day in India, 4,092 new deaths in 24 hours

Representational Image (Reuters)

New Delhi: India recorded over 4 lakh new COVID-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day, data by the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday (May 9, 2021).

There were 4,03,738 new infections and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours. India's total coronavirus caseload has now increased to 2.22 crore, while the death toll has climbed to 2.42 lakh. 

The country, going through the second wave of coronavirus, now has 37,36,648 active cases. India has also witnessed over 1.83 crore recoveries so far.

Between Friday and Saturday morning, the Centre had recorded 4,01,078 new cases and 4,187 coronavirus-related fatalities, while the country saw over 4.14 lakh infections and 3,915 deaths between Thursday and Friday morning. 

Twelve states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan account for over 80 per cent of India's total active cases.

On a good note, 180 districts have shown no fresh cases in the last 7 days, 18 districts in 14 days, 54 districts in 21 days and 32 districts in the last 28 days, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan stated on Saturday.

He also informed that the number of critical cases thus far includes 4,88,861 patients who required ICU beds, 1,70,841 patients who required ventilator support and 9,02,291 patients who were given oxygen support.

As of Saturday, 1.34% of the active caseload is in ICU, 0.39% of them are on ventilators and 3.70% of them are on oxygen support.

Earlier on Saturday, the Centre revised the national policy guidelines pertaining to admission of COVID-19 patients at COVID facilities. 

As per the Union Government directive to all States and UTs, hospitals under the Central Government, State governments and Union Territory administration including private hospitals (in states and UTs) managing COVID patients shall ensure the following:

1. Requirement of a positive test for the COVID-19 virus is not mandatory for admission to a COVID health facility. A suspect case shall be admitted to the suspect ward of CCC, DCHC or DHC as the case may be.

2. No patient will be refused services on any count. This includes medications such as oxygen or essential drugs even if the patient belongs to a different city.

3. No patient shall be refused admission on the ground that he/she is not able to produce a valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is located.

4. Admissions to the hospital must be based on need. It should be ensured that beds are not occupied by persons who do not need hospitalization. Further, the discharge should be strictly in accordance with the revised discharge policy available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/ReviseddischargePolicyforCOVID19.pdf

Meanwhile, the IIT Kanpur scientists have predicted that after a peak in cases in the first week of May, the number of positive cases will begin to decrease by July. However, they also said that the country may face the third wave of COVID-19 infections in October. It was concluded after they conducted a mathematical study in different parts of the country on the COVID-19 situation.