Govt is readying a strategy to deliver the vaccine to every single citizen: PM 

Urging people to not lax until the vaccine for COVID-19 is done,  Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Government is preparing a detailed road map to reach the vaccine to every single citizen as soon as it is readily available. In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Modi made a fervent appeal to all the citizens to not let their guard down and become complacent, in the country’s ongoing fight against the Covid Pandemic. He said despite the lockdown having been lifted it does not mean that the Corona Virus is wiped out. He urged the people not to be negligent until a vaccine against the pandemic is found and let the fight against the Covid-19 weaken The Prime Minister said efforts are on a war footing to save humanity and many countries including the country's scientists are working on the production of a vaccine. He said the work is going on various vaccines against corona and that some of these are in an advanced stage. India is in a better situation due to the efforts of every Indian in the last 7-8 months and one should not let it deteriorate. The recovery rate in the country has improved and the fatality rate is low. For every 10 Lakh Citizens about 5500 were infected with corona, while in countries like the US and Brazil the figure is nearly 25000.

New COVID-19 Cases fall below 50,000 for the first time after 3 months

India has leaped across several significant milestones in its fight against COVID-19. The new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours have fallen below 50,000 (46,790) for the first time in nearly three months, according to Union Health Ministry data. The new cases were 47,703 on 28th July. With a high number of COVID patients recovering every day and the sustained fall in the mortality rate, India’s steady trend of registering dipping active cases continues. In another achievement, the percentage active cases have fallen below 10%. The total positive cases of the country today are less than 7.5 lakh (7,48,538) and  comprise merely 9.85% of the total cases. This is the result of collaborative, focussed and effective action by States/UTs under the Centre's strategy of comprehensive and high countrywide testing, prompt and effective surveillance and tracking, quick hospitalization and effective adherence of the Standard Treatment Protocol issued by the Union Government. This success also owes to the selfless service and dedication of doctors, paramedics, frontline workers and all other COVID-19 warriors across all parts of the country. The slide in active cases is supplemented by an exponential rise in recoveries. The total recovered cases have crossed 67 lakhs (67,33,328). The difference between active cases and recovered cases is consistently increasing and stands at 59,84,790 today.

National Recovery Rate has further grown to 88.63%

In the last 24 hours 69,720 patients have recovered and discharged. The national Recovery Rate has further grown to 88.63% and 78% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs. Maharashtra continues to lead with more than 15,000 single day recoveries followed by Karnataka with more than 8,000 recoveries. Nearly 75% of the new confirmed cases are from 10 States and UTs. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala contribute more than 5,000 to the new confirmed cases. In the past 24 hours 587 case fatalities have been reported. Of these, nearly 81% are concentrated in ten States/UTs. The deaths are below 600 for second consecutive day. Maharashtra has reported the maximum single day deaths (125 deaths). India is the only country with the highest recoveries and continues to have one of the lowest fatality rates globally. Today it stands at 1.52%. These have in tandem resulted in consistent slide in the active cases.

Centre Advisories / Policies / Updates

Possibility of Covid-19 reinfection if antibodies reduce in five months, says ICMR

The Health Ministry in its briefing on Tuesday said that India has the largest number of COVID-19 recovered cases in the world. The ministry added that while many countries have reported a surge, India has recorded 310 cases per million in the last seven days, which is among the lowest globally. Six states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal – account for 64% of the country’s total active cases. ICMR director-general Balram Bhargava said that there is a possibility of reinfection if antibodies reduce in any person in five months. “That is why it is important to wear masks and take precautions even if one was infected earlier”, he added.

Centre underlines the need for the States/UTs to focus on early operationalization of AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres 

Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha chaired a high level meeting to review the various impactful interventions which the Ministry made in the recent months and which have significantly contributed to the preventive steps and management of Covid-19. Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of AYUSH and Health Departments of different States and UTs took part in the meeting held through video confeferencing. Kotecha appraised the States/UTs about the recently released National Ayurveda and Yoga Protocol for Management of Covid-19, the need to expedite the operationalization of AYUSH Health Wellness Centres approved under National AYUSH Mission (NAM) and the urgent need to improve the expenditure and fund flow at State/UT level under NAM. The need for the States/UTs to focus on early operationalization of AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres as per the target set under Ayushman Bharat was underlined. Possible steps to enhance the pace of expenditure under NAM was also discussed. States/UTs were requested to expedite the action for thorough co-ordination with AYUSH and Health Departments in the States/UTs for early and smooth operationalization of HWCs. 

Global Advisories/Policies/Updates

Global Cases top 40 million as Europe readies new curbs

Global coronavirus cases exceeded 40 million, with the pandemic showing no signs of slowing. Cases are rolling across Europe while the U.S. and India are averaging more than 50,000 cases a day. It took six months for the worldwide tally to reach the first 10 million, but subsequent milestones have come increasingly faster, with the latest 10 million added in just 32 days. Global cases reached a single day record of more than 415,000 on Friday. The U.S., India and Brazil account for more than half the cases. Millions of Europeans are facing tighter restrictions on movement, with London, Paris and Vienna enforcing stricter curbs and Ireland preparing some of the region’s toughest measures. Iran again reported a record number of daily deaths linked to the virus. China’s economic recovery accelerated, aided by aggressive virus containment that has allowed factories to quickly reopen.

Thailand Sees Five Cases, All Imported

Thailand reported five imported cases on Monday, which took the nation’s total infections to 3,691. All the new cases were found in state quarantine. So far, escalating anti-government protests in the Thai capital that have drawn thousands of protesters haven’t resulted in a spike in cases.

China Broadens Recovery From Pandemic

China’s economic recovery accelerated, aided by an aggressive containment of the coronavirus that has allowed factories to quickly reopen. Gross domestic product climbed 4.9% in the third quarter from a year ago. Shoppers have been more cautious, but robust spending through the recent Golden Week holidays suggest they too are starting to open their wallets again. China’s eastern port city of Qingdao said over the weekend it conducted 10.9 million coronavirus tests in five days, managing to test its entire population after a cluster of 13 infections surfaced. All of the tests came out negative. China has said several times in recent months that imported refrigerated goods are risks for re-introducing the coronavirus into the country. World Health Organization experts have suggested there’s no evidence the virus can be transported via food packaging.

State Advisories / Policies / Updates

Maharashtra: The Maharashtra Health Minister Shri Rajesh Tope has said that all the private doctors have been given instructions to participate in the COVID Prevention Mission and visit the COVID Centres for at least two to three hours in a day.  He has urged the private doctors to spare some time in COVID centres in Rural Areas, especially those that have witnessed high mortality rate in recent weeks. He has emphasized on the guidance of specialist doctors to reduce the mortality rate in the state.  Maharashtra on Monday reported 5,984 cases and 15,069 recoveries, bringing down the number of active cases to 1.73 lakhs.

Gujarat : The new cases of Covid19 in Gujarat dropped below 1 thousand mark for the first time in 90 days. Meanwhile, the Centre has appreciated the Covid19 management by the Gujarat government. In a meeting through video conferencing, the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that from being one of the worst affected states earlier, Gujarat has shown remarkable improvement in recoveries and testing.  The number of active cases in Gujarat is 14,277.

Rajasthan: Rajasthan on Monday reported 12 more deaths due to Covid-19, taking the state's death toll to 1,760, while 1,960 fresh cases pushed the infection count to 1,75,266.  According to a health bulletin, 1,52,573 people have so far been discharged after treatment, while the number of active cases stands at 20,893. 

Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh's COVID-19 count rose to 1.62 lakhs on Monday after 2,376 people were detected with the infection.  Raipur district reported 196 new cases, taking its total count to 39,285, including 523 deaths, while Janjgir- Champa recorded 200 new cases, Bilaspur 195, Durg 191 and  Raigarh 172, among others.

Kerala: Covid fatality is on the rise in Ernakulam district. Today four more people succumbed to the virus, taking the state’s total Covid death toll to 1186. Seventy police men in a camp in the district turned Covid positive today. A total of 5,022 new cases were reported in the state yesterday. Currently 92,731 patients are undergoing treatment and 2.77 lakh people under observation in various districts.

Tamil Nadu: After a gap of nearly six months, the Regional Transport Offices (RTO) across the State resumed its functions on Monday; in the wake of the on-going pandemic, the Centre had extended validity of all transport documents, expired between February 1 and September 30, till December 31. IIT-Madras has announced flexibility in its course work and said that its students can choose half the courses and even study a semester in a foreign university. Manufacturers and exporters in Tirupur- the knitwear hub of the country- which was in a revival path after covid lock down, are now worried about exportds because of a second wave of Covid-19 with Europe and other countries.

Karnataka: After gap of seven months, first passenger train between Karnataka and TN to run on October 23. To mark the ongoing Navratri and Diwali festivals, the South Western Railway (SWR) will run five pairs of festival special trains from October 23 to December 2. Health Minister K Sudhakar Sudhakar held a meeting and took stock of disease spread in flood-hit districts; he interacted with Deputy Commissioners, ZP CEOs and health officers of Kalaburagi, Bagalakot, Koppal, Yadgir, Belagavi and Vijayapura, which have been hit by heavy rain and floods.

Andhra Pradesh: The State is contemplating to reopen schools from November 2. It remains to be seen whether the schools would be opened on the scheduled date with the students being affected with coronavirus. DEO, Kurnool issued key directives of conducting tests to the students in all schools across the district  in the backdrop of as many as 29 students of a school in Srisailam Sunnipenta in Kurnool district were infected with Covid.  There has been a sharp drop in coronavirus cases in the state with less than 3,000 cases reported on Monday.  As ICMR has warned of a possible second wave of the coronavirus, Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas has asked the state health department to be extra vigilant and create awareness among the public about the three precautionary steps that need to be taken to stop the virus’ spread.

Telangana: 1486 new cases, 1891 recoveries & 7 deaths reported in the last 24 hours in Telangana ; out of 1486 cases, 235 cases reported from GHMC. Total cases: 2,24,545; Active cases: 21,098; Deaths: 1282; Discharges: 2,02,577. State Health Minister has directed health officials to ensure all walk-in patients with flu-like symptoms at Government healthcare facilities mandatorily undergo Covid-19 tests.

 Industry Updates

PM message to the nation will help safeguard hard-earned gains in the battle against Covid-19: ASSOCHAM

Prime Minister  Narendra Modi's passionate call to keep up the safety guards against coronavirus is a  critical reminder to each and every Indian not to squander away the pains-taking gains in the battle against Covid-19 pandemic, said ASSOCHAM Secretary General  Deepak Sood.  ''Even as the economic activities are showing a sharp recovery in the middle of the festival season, the attendant risk of overcrowding could not be ignored. The Prime Minister's personal appeal to the citizens is timely and should bring about notable behaviour improvement, be it in the marketplace, factories or offices. Industry organisations such as ASSOCHAM have been in the forefront of social messaging and would even scale up the awareness campaigns on social distancing, sanitation and mask-wearing,''  Sood said.  The Indian pharmaceutical industry is working in close coordination with the Government in building capabilities of vaccine and a vast manufacturing and distribution infrastructure,” he added.  

Prepared by Impact Health Research Team

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