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Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The focused efforts of Centre and State/UT governments on effective clinical management of the hospitalised COVID-19 patients have led to India’s Fatality Rate touching 1.5% on October 26, 2020.

With effective containment strategy, aggressive testing, and standardised clinical management protocols based on holistic Standard of Care protocol across government and private hospitals, the number of new deaths has significantly dipped. Less than 500 deaths (480) have been reported in last 24 hours in the country. India has one of the lowest fatality rates in the world. The Case Fatality rate is lowest since March 22, 2020, and is continuously declining, according to a PIB release.

As part of the COVID management and response policy, there has been a sharp focus of the Central Government on not only containing the COVID, but to reduce deaths and to save lives by providing quality clinical care to the critical and severe patients of COVID. Collaborative efforts of the Union and State/UT governments have resulted in strengthening of the health facilities across the country.Altogether  2,218 Dedicated COVID Hospitals are providing quality medical care.

A unique initiative to build the capacities of the ICU doctors in clinical management of critical patients towards reducing the fatality, e-ICU has been started by AIIMS, New Delhi. Twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, tele/video -consultation sessions are held by knowledge and domain experts for the doctors manning ICUs in the State hospitals. These sessions started from July 8,  2020. Till date, 25 tele-sessions have been held, and 393 institutions across 34 States/UTs have participated in them.

To further build the ICU/clinical management capacities of doctors for treatment of critical patients, AIIMS New Delhi, in collaboration with the Health Ministry has developed FAQs. These have been posted on the MoHFW website and can be accessed at: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/AIIMSeICUsFAQs01SEP.pdf

Also, many States have conducted the population surveys to map and identify the vulnerable population like the elderly, pregnant women, and those with co-morbidities. This, with the help of technological solutions like Mobile Apps, has ensured keeping the high-risk population under continuous observation, thus aiding early identification, timely clinical treatment, and reducing fatalities. At the ground level, frontline health workers like ASHAs and ANMs have done a commendable job of managing the migrant population and to enhance awareness at the community level. As a result, there are 14 States and UTs with CFR lower than 1%.

59,105 new recoveries were added in last 24 hour. With this, the total number of recoveries have crossed 71 Lakh (71,37,228). Higher number of single day recoveries is also reflected in the continuous increase in the national recovery rate, which is at present 90.23%.

India continues to report a trend of steadily decreasing active cases. The active cases comprise merely 8.26% of the total positive cases of the country standing at 6,53,717. This is the lowest since August 13, 2020, when the number active cases was 6,53,622. 78% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs. Karnataka has contributed the maximum to the single day recoveries with more than 10,000 cases followed by Kerala with more than 7,000 cases.

45,148 new confirmed cases were registered in the last 24 hours in the country. This is the lowest since July 22, 2020, when 37,000 new cases were added. 82% of new confirmed cases are from 10 States and UTs. Kerala and Maharashtra contribute maximum to the new confirmed cases with more than 6,000 cases each followed by Karnataka, Delhi, and West Bengal with more than 4,000 cases.

480 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours. Of these, nearly 80% are concentrated in ten States/UTs. More than 23% of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra (112 deaths).