Covid-19 doubling rate down to 6.2 days from 3 after lockdown: Health Ministry

Coronavirus (Covid-19): Before the nationwide lockdown, the doubling rate of Covid-19 cases was three days but the last 7 days' data reveals it's 6.2 days, informed the Union Health Ministry Friday. In a routine media briefing on the coronavirus situation in the country, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal said that till now there are 13,387 confirmed cases and the doubling rate is 6.2 days, adding that in 19 states and Union Territories, COVID-19 case doubling rate is less than the national average.

Asserting that the growth of Covid-19 cases has seen a 40 per cent decline, Agarwal added that the analysis of outcome of cases reveals that the recovery rate is 80 per cent while the death rate is 20 per cent.

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases in India rose to 13,835 Friday as the government began ramping up testing. At least 452 people have succumbed to the disease. Maharashtra remains the worst affected state, with a total of 3,205 cases and 194 deaths, followed by New Delhi with 1,640 infections and 38 fatalities.

Earlier in the day, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced measures to provide more liquidity to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) and relaxed the classification norms for non-performing assets (NPAs), to boost the sagging economy and the financial sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for its second COVID-19 relief measures, saying that the announcements will greatly enhance liquidity and improve credit supply.

Here are the points from the ministry press briefing:

1. There has been a 40 per cent decline in growth of Covid-19 India cases; analysis of outcome of cases shows 80 per cent recovery and 20 per cent death. India doing better than many countries on outcome ratio, which is ratio of number of COVID-19 recoveries versus deaths: Health Ministry

2. Today's the government discussed on lockdown situation to look at medicines, PPEs etc. Science and tech will win us this battle: Lav Agarwal

3. Our efforts on making new rapid tests, and polling mechanisms that allow more samples to be tested at one go. Also looking at viral sequencing: Lav Agarwal

4. We are working on recombinant BCG, convalescent plasma therapy, monoclonal antibodies to fight Covid-19: Lav Agarwal

5. We don't have enough evidence to take official position on BCG vaccine in Covid-19 It can't even stop TB can only protect from severity. It is an inmunomodulator, effective for 15 yrs: Dr R R Gangakhedkar

6. In the next week, ICMR will start a study on BCG vaccine. That will help us decide whether it should be used in health workers: Dr R R Gangakhedkar

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7. Working on viral sequencing, vaccine development. India is working with global partners, trying to speed up processes: Health Ministry.

8. CSIR labs are working on indigenous production of antivirals that have shown promise: Lav Agarwal

9. Targeting to make 10 lakh RTPCR kits in May indigenously, also there's capacity for making 6,000 ventilators per month: Lav Agarwal

10. There are currently 1,919 dedicated hospitals in the country now with over 1,73,000 isolation and over 21,000 ICU beds: Lav Agarwal

11. Till now 3,19,400 patients tested yesterday 28,340 tests were done of which 4,408 in private labs: ICMR

12. We are seeing different strains of the virus depending on what's the index patient came from; however effect of drugs will be same on all. It will affect vaccine development though: ICMR

(Inputs and image from theindianexpress.com)