Able to cut transmission, minimise spread of COVID-19 in last 30 days, says Centre

New Delhi [India], April 23 (ANI): India has been able to cut transmission, minimise spread and consistently ramp up COVID-19 testing in the last 30 days of lockdown, said Centre on Thursday.
"In last 30 days of lockdown, we have been able to cut transmission, minimise spread, consistently ramp up our testing and utilize this time to prepare ourselves for future," said CK Mishra, Environment Secretary and Chairman of Empowered Group-2 which has been mandated with the availability of hospitals, isolation and quarantine facilities for COVID-19.
Mishra said that RT-PCR testing is one of the crucial weapons employed to tackle COVID-19.
"One crucial weapon we employed during the 30-day lockdown period is RT-PCR testing. On March 23, we had done 14,915 tests. On April 22, we have done more than 5 lakh tests which were around 33 times in 30 days. This is not enough and we need to ramp testing in this country. We will do that," he said.
Mishra informed In the last 30 days, a number of dedicated COVID-19 hospitals rose by 3.5 times while isolation beds increased by 3.6 times.
"In the last 30 days, the number of dedicated COVID-19 hospitals rose by 3.5 times while isolation beds increased by 3.6 times. We have used these 30 days to prepare and make sure that if in the future events, we need to cater more and more patients, we are ready, It is our preparedness. As of today, we have 3773 such hospitals which have been marked for COVID-19 facility," he said.
Mishra informed that increase in COVID-19 cases in India more or less linear not exponential.
"Increase in COVID-19 cases in India more or less linear not exponential. This tells us that our testing strategy has been focused, targeted, and continues to expand, this is an evolving strategy based on our learning as we go along. As the challenge kept expanding, strategy too kept expanding," he said.
"We have deliberately taken 400th case on 23rd March (as a benchmark). It shows what was the position when each of these countries had 400th case and how they have moved beyond. This clearly tells us where we stand. This is the current story and based on this current story and future projection we need to evolve a strategy in this country," he added.
Mishra said that social distancing, discipline, and taking care of the vulnerable are important issues.
"Our first focus is to reduce the number of people coming to hospitals. The second goal is to ensure enough infrastructure so that every person who needs to come to the hospital is treated well, cured, and sent back. Every district in the country is now working towards that. As per patient profile, the critical thing is oxygen, our entire hospital preparation is focused on ensuring oxygen support to those who need it. Our goal is to ensure that most people get cured at COVID Health Centre stage itself," he added. (ANI)