Coronavirus COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 29.3%; no cases reported in 216 districts so far: Union Health Ministry

Union Health Ministry on Friday stated that the number of coronavirus COVID-19 patients recovering has been increasing continuously, adding that the current recovery rate stands at 29.3 per cent. Addressing a press briefing, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said 16,540 COVID-19 patients have recovered so far with 1,273 in the last 24 hours. He added that almost one in three hospitalized people has recovered.

Agarwal added that no cases have been reported in 216 districts across the country so far. He added that 42 districts have not reported any fresh case in the last 28 days; 29 districts reported no fresh cases in the last 21 days; 36 districts reported no fresh cases in the last 14 days, and 46 reported no fresh cases in the last 7 days.

"If we follow dos and don'ts, we may not reach the peak in the number of COVID-19 cases and our curve may remain flat," added Agarwal.

India so far has recorded 56,342 coronavirus cases and 1,886 deaths. A total of 1,273 people have been cured and 3,390 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours.

Agarwal said, "Some states have witnessed a rise in cases during the last few days. Need to strengthen containment efforts to stop the rise, along with proper adherence to measures such as physical distancing at field level."

"As we talk of relaxations to lockdown, we have to deal with the challenge of learning to live with the virus, for this we need to make the required prevention measures a part of our life, through a behaviour change process," he added.

Health Ministry has issued additional guidelines for facility quarantine and isolation of returnees from abroad, contacts, isolation of suspects or confirmed cases in private facilities like hotels, service apartments, lodges etc.

"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," he added.

"Project PLACID - Phase-II Open-Label Randomised Controlled Trial of ICMR has received the approval of COVID-19 National Ethics Committee. Under this, ICMR will conduct the trial in 21 hospitals, to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma," said the Ministry.

Ministry of Railways has converted 5,231 coaches to COVID-19 care centres and will be placed at 215 identified stations. This will be used for the cases suspected and confirmed, and very mild and mild as per guidelines issued by the Health Ministry.

Union Home Ministry spokesperson Punya Salila Srivastava said, "Indians stranded abroad should register at the respective Indian Embassy/High Commission. Passengers are required to give an undertaking that they would undergo mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine on a payment basis, upon arrival at the destination."

"Right of multiple entry life-long visa facility to visit India for OCI Cardholders is kept in abeyance due to restriction on international air travel," she added.