In one of the lowest spikes in the last three months, India on Tuesday recorded less than 50,000 new cases. The decline is significant considering the number of total tests on the day was in excess of 10 lakh, which has been the daily average for some time now, except on Sunday when it was below nine lakh.
46,790 new coronavirus cases are less than what were registered on July 28 when for two consecutive days the tally of fresh cases was 47,703 and 48,513, before it shot up to an alarming high of 97,894 on September 17.
While the number of tests stood at 10.32 lakh, up from Monday’s 8.60 lakh, the recovery rate stands at 88.26 per cent and the fatality rate at 1.52 per cent, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press briefing here.
The total case load is expected to breach the 76-lakh mark shortly even as the death toll stands at 1.15 lakh.
The number of active cases in the country has dipped below 7.5 lakh as recoveries continued to outpace the rise in daily new cases. In past 24 hours, 69,720 patients were declared cured of Covid, taking the total recoveries to 67.33 lakh, said the official. During the same period, 587 Covid-related deaths were reported.
Around 78 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs and 75 per cent of the new confirmed cases are from 10 States and UTs. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala each are contributing more than 5,000 new confirmed cases.
With health experts fearing a rise in Covid-19 cases during the upcoming festivals and the winter season, Bhushan asserted that the Government is in a “comfortable position” as far as availability of oxygen is considered to meet any medical emergency for serious patients.
“There has been no scarcity in oxygen supply in the last 10 months with the daily production capacity enhanced to 6,862 metric tonnes by September and projected to further increase to 7,191 metric tonnes by the end of October,” he said.
Giving the details of the preparations, he said, the Centre has initiated the process of installing 246 oxygen generation plants in 18 States and UTs in the first phase.
Out of this, 67 are at various stages of completion.
“In the second phase, 150 more such plants in 30 States and UTs would be installed, he said, adding India was in a “comfortable position” in terms of oxygen availability.
“There has been no shortage of oxygen in the last 10 months. There is no paucity at present also. We are in an extremely comfortable position,” Bhushan added.
The number of patients on oxygen support, which includes those in ICU, ventilator and oxygen supported beds, increased from 43,022 on September 1 to 75,000 in the third week of that month. The number then started declining and as of Tuesday it was over 57,000, he said.
“Though there has been a dip, it is still higher as compared to September 1. However, it should not be a reason to worry as our capacity is much higher,” the Health Secretary said adding that 775 Cryogenic Oxygen Tanks (total 7438 MT) have been installed in hospitals.
“We are also creating control room in different places to monitor efficient and adequate availability of medical oxygen in States/UTs,” he added.
Elucidating further, Bhushan said on an average, 2,397 metric tonnes of medical oxygen was consumed daily from September 2 to 8, and even then 15,282 metric tonnes of oxygen was in stock at the end of the week.
“Oxygen production capacity has been enhanced from 5,913 metric tonnes in April to 6,862 metric tonnes in September. It will be further increased to 7,191 metric tonnes by October-end,” the Health Secretary said.
Bhushan further said that India’s Covid-19 cases per million population reported in the last seven days stood at 310, while the global average was 315.