India adds 561 new covid-19 cases as total rises to 3,940
Maharashtra records 113 fresh cases on Sunday; nationwide death toll climbs by 19 to 95The number of fresh cases has been witnessing a decline for the past two days after a sharp spike
PremiumNEW DELHI : India recorded 561 fresh cases of covid-19 on Sunday, taking the total count to 3,940. As many as 19 people died because of the disease on Sunday, taking the toll to 95.
The number of fresh cases has been witnessing a reduction for the past two days after sharply rising because of the Tablighi Jamaat event held in mid-March in Nizamuddin in the national capital. The religious event has been responsible to a large extent for the doubling of covid-19 cases in India, the Union ministry of health and family welfare said on Sunday.
Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Kerala continue to report the maximum number of cases. As many as 113 persons tested positive in Maharashtra, taking the total in the state to 748, according to state health department.
As many as 58 fresh cases were reported in Delhi on Sunday, taking the national capital’s total to 503. Tamil Nadu recorded 74 new cases, taking the state’s tally to 485.
Kerala confirmed eight fresh covid-19 cases during the day, taking the tally in the state to 314. Of these, 256 are patients, while 56 have recovered, including six who recovered on Sunday. The figure includes two fatalities. Five of the fresh cases came from Kozhikode district, while one each are from Kasaragod, Pathanamthitta and Kannur districts, said K.K. Shailaja, the state’s health minister.
Seven people tested positive for covid-19 in Karnataka, taking the state’s total number to 151, the health department said. In Andhra Pradesh, 62 people tested positive during the day, taking the total in the state to 252. Nellore district has the highest number of cases at 34.
The Centre on Sunday clarified that the infection spreads mainly through droplets released by coughing, sneezing and a covid-19 patient’s breath.
“The coronavirus infection is not airborne but a droplet infection. Had it been an airborne infection, every person in a family of an infected person would have caught the virus because they all would be breathing the air infected by the family member. This would also apply to patients in a hospital," said Raman R. Gangakhedkar, head of epidemiology and communicable diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research.
“We should go by evidence in science. In the world, there are about a million of covid-19 cases, but there is no such evidence," he said. The government has said that there is a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and N95 masks. Domestic manufacturers have started production of PPE and masks and the government has also started procuring them from countries where they are available.
“We have discussed this with all health secretaries, chief secretaries and district magistrates as this is a major issue. We have explained to them that PPEs available with us have been immediately dispatched to states on a case-load basis," said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the Union ministry of health and family welfare.
“We are making allotments based on the number of cases reported in states. We are also parallelly making an effort to see that how procurement can be increased. It has started easing out. In the coming weeks, we should be able to manage these better," he said.
Meanwhile, Punya Salila Srivastava, joint secretary, ministry of home affairs, said: “About 12.5 lakh people are being sheltered in 27,661 relief camps, while 19,460 food camps are providing food to about 75 lakh people. Also, 13.6 lakh workers are being given food and shelter by employers."
Fresh guidelines permit manufacturing and movement of essential items and their raw materials. “Our detailed guidelines on 3 April allow the interstate movement of employees in those sectors as well," said Srivastava.
To resolve issues of the pharma sector in certain pockets, the Union home secretary on Sunday asked chief secretaries of states concerned to prepare standard operating procedures with proper protocols and social distancing to ensure interstate movement of employees.
Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Guaba on Sunday interacted with chief secretaries and health secretaries of states/UTs through a video conference and asked them to make a covid-19 crisis management plan.
Leroy Leo, Nidheesh M K, Sharan Poovanna, Yunus Lasania, Kalpana Pathak contributed to this story.
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