Covid-19 growth linear, not exponential: Government

The government had formed 11 empowered group of officers on March 30 to deal with problems arising out of the coronavirus lockdown such as disruption in essential supplies of medicines, and equipment.

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The Empowered Group-2 led by C.K Mishra briefing media on the coronavirus situation in the country. (Source: Abantika Ghosh)

The groups will deal with issues concerning medical emergency management plan, availability of hospitals, testing and quarantine facilities, availability of medical equipment such as PPEs, masks and gloves, augmenting human resources and capacity building, facilitating supply chains, coordination with private sector and NGOs, economic and welfare measures, communication and public awareness, technology and data management, public grievances and strategic issues relating to lockdown.

Here are the top points from the press briefing:

1. There are 1,94,026 isolation beds and 24,644 ICU beds in 3773 facilities; 12371 ventilators: C K Mishra

2. We express gratitude to all people of India facing hardships today to save lives in future; we have cut transmission, minimise spread, increase doubling time. We’ve ramped up testing and prepared for future spread: C K Mishra

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3. Just 14,915 tests on March 23 over 5 lakh in a month since; we are conscious we need to ramp up testing, will continue to do that: C K Mishra

4. When US did 5 lakh tests they had 80,000 positive cases, we have 20,000: C K Mishra chairman empowered group 2 on

5. In the last month, number of dedicated COVID-19 hospitals rose by 3.5 times while isolation beds increased by 3.6 times: Govt.

6. Post lockdown, testing increased 24 times while number of new positive cases grew 16 times: Govt

7. Shouldn’t forget non-Covid patients; full efforts to pay them attention, that’s why many hospitals started teleconsultation: Dr Randeep Guleria, AIIMS director

9. MHA has told states in a letter on April 21 to exempt senior citizens care givers, and pre paid mobile recharge services from lockdown: P S Srivastava JS MHA

10. Till April 22, over 1.5 crore workdays happened under MGNREGA: PS Srivasatava

11. Total 21,393 cases so far; recovery rate over 19 per cent; now 12 districts with no new cases in 28 days: Lav Agarwal JS Health Ministry

12. No case in 14 days for 78 districts; 33 districts added in nine districts: Lav Agarwal

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