Death toll nears 100 in India, confirmed cases rise to 3619

NEW DELHI: The number of COVID-19 deaths inched towards 100 on Saturday and the count of confirmed infections rose by a new single-day record of over 600 to cross 3,600, but the government assured there was no need to panic as the rate of spread was less than in many other countries and just "one place" accounted for 30 per cent of detected cases.
The Health Ministry said the testing capacity has been ramped up significantly to over 10,000 tests per day to detect the deadly coronavirus infection, as it emphasised on continuous compliance to lockdown and social distancing measures, along with personal and environmental hygiene, to win this "daily battle".
While the ministry said that a total of 3072 COVID-19 cases have been reported so far in India, with 75 deaths nationwide, a tally of figures reported by states directly showed at least 97 deaths across the country while the number of confirmed cases of infection had reached 3619 as on Saturday late evening. Of them, close to 300 have been cured and discharged.
There has been a lag in the Union Health Ministry figures, compared to the aggregate of numbers announced by different states, which officials attribute to procedural delays in assigning the cases to individual states.
Officials said at least 1,023 confirmed cases of infection have been found to be linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in the national capital last month, but massive efforts by various authorities have led to nearly 22,000 people linked to the religious grouping and their primary contacts getting quarantined. Overall, tens of thousands are quarantined but their overall number could not be ascertained.
The Tablighi-linked infections, found across 17 states, including Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, showed that almost 30 per cent of them are from "one particular place where we could not sort of understand it and manage it", Union Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said.
According to the Ministry, 211 districts are now reporting COVID-19 cases, posing a high risk of further spread of the deadly virus unless it is contained.
The data shared by Agarwal and other government officials in their daily press briefing on Saturday afternoon showed that an average of one in 25 people tested for the infection have found to be a positive case, while the mortality rate among those testing positive appeared even less at one in 30.
Officials said the number of daily tests has doubled to more than 10,000 from about 5,000 a few days ago. While the number of government labs has increased to over 100, several private labs have also been roped in, Agarwal said.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said 79,950 samples have been tested so far across the country.
Globally, more than 11 lakh people have tested positive so far since the outbreak of this deadly virus in December last, which has left over 60,000 dead. The US alone has seen over 2.7 lakh confirmed cases while it recorded nearly 1,500 deaths within 24 hours between Thursday and Friday. Italy has recorded the maximum deaths at nearly 15,000.
Agarwal said the rate of doubling of cases is still very low in India, compared to many other countries, but it must be kept in mind that the country is dealing with a communicable disease and fighting a daily battle.
"We may be successful today, but may not be so tomorrow and to win this battle we need support of everyone including the public," he said, while emphasising the need for continuously following the lockdown and social distancing measures, as also personal and environmental hygiene.
"We are as strong as the weakest link in this chain and we can win this battle only with support of everyone," he said.
Sharing the age-group analysis of COVID-19 patients, Agarwal said the maximum 42 per cent are of 21-40 years, 33 per cent of 41-60 years, 17 per cent are above 60 years and 9 per cent are of 0-20 years.
The elderly people and those with other medical complications are said to be at higher risk in this pandemic. In Delhi also, five of the six COVID-19 patients who have died were above 60.
At the briefing, government officials said the lockdown is being effectively implemented across the country while supply of essential goods is also going on well, as they expressed confidence we all together will be "successful in breaking the COVID-19 chain".

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