Coronavirus cases in India jump to 341; seven deaths reported

The number of cases of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 341 on Sunday after fresh cases were reported in various parts of the country, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said.

Sevenpeople have been declared dead.

Sixty private labs have registered so far to conduct tests. Many of them are in the process of being approved.

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“As many as 341 confirmed cases have been confirmed. It may vary as I mention,” Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, MoHFW, said, in a press briefing on Sunday in New Delhi.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Balram Bhargava said, “We have conducted 15,000-17,000 tests so far. We have the capacity to conduct 10,000 tests per day — it means we can conduct 50,000-70,000 per week.”

Bhargava also said it was essential to understand the ailment.

“Eighty per cent of the people will experience cold-like fever and they will recover. 20 per cent may experience cough, cold, fever and some of them may be needed to be admitted to hospital,” he said, adding, “The 5 per cent who get admitted to the hospital are given supportive treatment and in some cases, new medicines are being given.”

It is amid this spurt that the country is observing an unprecedented shutdown on Sunday following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for a 'Janata curfew’. Under this, people have been urged to voluntarily stay indoors to check the spread of coronavirus while public transport is suspended or curtailed and all markets and shops except those dealing in essential items are closed on the day.

In addition to this, Section 144 of CrPC will be imposed in Delhi with effect from 9 pm on March 22 to 12 midnight of March 31.

“The Centre has asked state governments to issue directions to the 75 districts that have positive cases to stop all services except the emergency services,” Agarwal said.

These 75 districts include six from Delhi. The maximum are from Mumbai — including Mumbai sub-ur.

Bhargava said, “To break the chain of transmission, the easiest method is to isolate the people coming from outside. The virus is not present in the air.”

India has so far witnessed cases of COVID-19 mostly related to travel and local transmission from imported cases. Community transmission of the disease has not been documented till now.

The Indian government has been keeping a close watch on the preparedness of the health facilities in the wake of the rising number of confirmed cases of COVID-19.

TheICMR on Saturday revised its strategy to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus. It said all hospitalised patients with severe acute respiratory illness, shortness of breath and having fever and cough will now be tested forCOVID-19infection. The newICMRguidelines also said asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once between day 5 and day 14 of coming in his/her contact.