COVID-19 confirmed cases increase to 81 in India

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The number of COVID-19 confirmed cases increased to 81 in India on March 13, 2020. Of these, 3 from Kerala were treated and discharged. In addition, 7 more from Safdurjung have also recovered. Of these confirmed cases, 64 cases are of Indian nationals, 16 Italian nationals, and 1 Canadian national. Contract tracing of these cases is being actively pursued. So far, this has led to identification of more than 4,000 contacts who have been put under surveillance.

The confirmed cases also include the first casualty of COVID-19 in the country. Death of a 76-year-old man from Karnataka is confirmed to be caused due to co-morbidities i.e. Asthma and Hypertension and he also tested positive for COVID-19. All the precautionary measures as per protocol, such as screening and home quarantine of the contacts, has been initiated by the State Health Department, Karnataka, and is being monitored closely, according to a PIB release.

The Government of India, along with States/UTs, has taken several preemptive, timely, and proactive measures for prevention, containment and management of COVID-19. Continuous review and monitoring of the situation at the highest political and administrative levels led to decisive preventive and pre-emptive actions in public interest such as travel restrictions, suspension of visas, and self-quarantine measures.

Early establishment of point of entry surveillance and universal screening of passengers at airports and vessels at seaports, evacuation of Indian citizens from COVID-19 affected countries, adequate laboratory and quarantine facilities, have contributed immensely towards containment and management of COVID-19 in the country.

All essential facilities like community surveillance, quarantine, isolation wards, adequate PPEs, trained manpower, rapid response teams are being strengthened further in all States and UTs.

So far, the Government of India has evacuated 1,031 persons including 48 nationals from countries such as Maldives, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, US, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru. Till date, 890 evacuees from COVID-19 affected countries, have been discharged after 14 days isolation and having tested negative as per protocols.

The 654 evacuees from Wuhan, China, on February 1, 2020, and February3,  2020, were discharged on February 18, 2020. The 124 evacuees from Japan and 112 evacuees from China were discharged on March 13, 2020, after having tested negative for COVID-19 in the second round of tests.

The Government of India has relentlessly worked towards the evacuation of Indian nationals from any major COVID-19 affected country. India has sent scientists, equipment for labs, reagents and brought back samples for testing to the country. So far, 1,199 samples have been collected in Iran and brought to India for testing.The government has also sent a team of four doctors from the Ministry of Health to Rome. They have just reached Rome with sufficient material and reagents to collect samples of Indians there for onward testing in India.

In addition, total 11,71,061 passengers have been screened from 10,876 flights at 30 designated airports and 3,062 passengers and 583 contacts were identified and referred to IDSP/ designated hospitals while 42,296 passengers have been brought under community surveillance of which 2,559 were symptomatic and 522 hospitalised.