New Delhi, Apr 7 (UNI) A COVID-19 infected person can infect 406 people in 30 days, says Union Health Ministry, as the number positive cases reached to 4421 on Tuesday, in the country.
According to Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, a Coronavirus positive patient does not follow the lockdown or social distancing directions, he or she could infect 406 people in 30 days.
While stressing the importance of social distance and lockdown, Mr Agarwal, however, said according to the study, the person can only infect 2.5 persons during the lock down.
“Till today, 326 persons have recovered and discharged. So far 4421 confirmed cases reported and there were 354 new cases in last 24 hours. So far, 117 persons lost their lives including eight during the last 24 hours”, Mr Agarwal said in a daily press conference over the spread of Coronavirus.
Mr Agarwal further said that the Union government has been adopting strategy for cluster containment and for outbreaks which are amenable to management.
“Happy to note that this strategy is producing positive results, especially in Agra, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Pathanamthitta, Bhilwara and East Delhi”, he said and added, “In Mumbai and in other districts too, action is being undertaken as per this containment strategy and action plan”.
He further said that Smart Cities are using technology to manage COVID-19, in surveillance, contact tracing, home quarantine management, information dissemination, training, predictive analysis using heat maps and counseling, and notably, in Pune, Surat, Bengaluru and Tumakuru.
The senior government official further said that the Health Ministry has come out with a guidance document on appropriate management of suspects and confirmed cases of Coronavirus.
“The guidance document lays out three classes of facilities to be set up for various categories of COVID19 patients. One is COVID care centers and it shall offer care only for cases that have been clinically assigned as mild or very mild cases of COVID suspect case”, he said and added that “it can be makeshift facilities, or can be government or private facilities such as hostels, schools or hotels; quarantine centres too can be upgraded as COVID Care Centres”.
He said the Union government has asked states to map each COVID Care Centre with one COVID Care Hospital and COVID Care Health Centre, so that there is clarity at field level on where the patients can be shifted, if need be.
The Second facility is COVID Health Centre, to monitor all cases that have been clinically assigned as moderate.
“These shall be hospitals or dedicated blocks in hospitals with proper triaging, to prevent spread of infection and shall have beds with assured oxygen support”, Mr Agarwal said.
The third class of facilities is Dedicated COVID Hospitals, which shall offer comprehensive care primarily for those who have been clinically assigned as severe or critical cases of Coronavirus.
“These shall be hospitals or dedicated blocks, with fully equipped ICU facility, ventilators and beds with assured oxygen support”, he added.
Mr Agarwal further said that the Home Ministry has written to states on the critical importance of medical oxygen, asking them to facilitate the smooth functioning of the supply chain and ensure adequate supply of medical oxygen.
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