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New Delhi : Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) confirmed cases increased to 3,374 in India at 6 pm on April 5, 2020, registering an increase of 344 since 9 am the same day. Coronavirus death toll in India has increased to 83 while 274 patients have been cured/discharged from the hospitals after recovery. One patient has migrated. As on date, 274 districts have been affected by COVID-19 virus in the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the Joint Meeting of the Empowered Groups on April 4, 2020, to ensure planning, preparedness and implementation of COVID-19 response across the country. The groups apprised on the actions taken so far to increase the availability of hospitals, isolation and quarantine facilities, testing and critical care training, etc.
Union Cabinet Secretary interacted with Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of all the States/UTs, and DM, SSP, CMO, IDSP Staff of all districts through a Video Conference (VC) here on April 5, 2020. He directed all the DMs to ensure that the Pharma units for manufacturing medicine & medical equipment are smoothly run. All staff and concerned representatives from States/UTs were given an orientation regarding the containment strategy in the VCy. All districts have further been advised to make a COVID-19 crisis management plan. Through this VC, the District Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners from six Districts (Bhilwara, Agra, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Pathanamthitta (Kerala), East Delhi and Mumbai Municipal) shared their strategies and experience.
An advisory has been issued by ICMR regarding rapid antibody based blood tests for COVID-19, in clusters (with containment zones), and in large migration gatherings/evacuees centres. As per the advisory, facilities will ensure that the reporting of the test is fed directly to the ICMR portal. This will expedite the process of contact tracing and timely treatment.
Also according to a recent advisory issued by ICMR, spitting in public places can increase the spread of COVID-19 virus. In view of the increasing danger of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been urged to refrain from consuming the smokeless tobacco products and spitting at public places during the COVID-19 epidemic, according to a PIB release.
Maharashtra has reported 24 Coronavirus deaths at 24 followed by Gujarat with 10, Telengana 7, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi six each and Punjab five. Karnataka has reported four deaths while West Bengal and Tamil Nadu each have recorded three deaths each. Two deaths each have been reported from Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Himachal Pradesh each have reported one fatality, according to Union Health & Family Welfare Ministry.
Maharashtra reported 490 confirmed cases of COVID-19 followed by Tamil Nadu with 485 and Delhi 445. Bihar has reported 30 active cases while Karnataka has reported 144 such cases.