India Witnesses Decline In Positive Cases For The Last 2 Weeks, Active Cases Below 50,000 in 19 States

Seven states have more than 25 pc COVID-19 case positivity, while 22 states have more than 15 pc case positivity, says Government.

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry on Thursday informed that eight states in the country have more than 1 lakh active cases, 9 states have between 50,000-1 lakh active cases whereas 19 states have less than 50,000 active cases. While addressing a press conference, the government further added that Seven states have more than 25 per cent COVID-19 case positivity, while 22 states have more than 15 percent case positivity.

“After a consistent increase in COVID-19 case positivity for 10 weeks, the decline in case positivity since last 2 weeks reported,” the Union Health Ministry said. “India witnessed a consistent upward trend in weekly tests for COVID since mid Feb and avg daily tests increased by 2.3 times in 12 weeks,” Ministry added.

The Union Health Ministry also said that 50 per cent of people still do not wear a mask while 64 per cent of the people who do wear masks, do not cover the nose, according to a study.

ICMR’s Dr Balram Bhargava, during the press briefing, also explained the process to use the home testing kit for COVID. “Step 1 is that you buy the test kit from a chemist; Step 2- download mobile app; Step 3- conduct the test at home; step 4- click mobile image and upload, test result will be given. Within 3-4 days this should be available in the market,” Bhargava said.

Earlier today, the Union Health Ministry has urged states and union territories to make black fungus or mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, stating that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst COVID-19 patients.

The ministry, in a letter, said that in the recent times a new challenge in the form of a fungal infection namely mucormycosis has emerged and is reported from many states amongst COVID-19 patients, especially those on steroid therapy and deranged sugar control.

“This fungal infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst COVID 19 patients,” Joint Secretary in the health ministry Lav Agarwal said in the letter.

The treatment of this fungal infection requires multidisciplinary approach consisting of eye surgeons, ENT specialists, general surgeon, neurosurgeon and dental maxillo facial surgeon, among others, and institution of Amphotericin-B injection as an antifungal medicine.

“You are requested to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, wherein all government and private health facilities, medical colleges will follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis, issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Gol) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

“And, make it mandatory for all these facilities to report all suspected and confirmed cases to health department through district-level chief medical officer and subsequently to Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) surveillance system,” the letter stated.