COVID-19 recovery rate 63.33 pc; of 3.42 lakh active cases less than 1.94 pc in ICU: Health ministry

Less than 1.94 per cent of 3.42 lakh active COVID-19 cases in India are in ICU, 0.35 per cent on ventilators and 2.81 per cent are on oxygen support, while recovery rate has improved to 63.33 per cent, Union health ministry said on Friday.

actual COVID-19 caseload in country was 3,42,756, while 6,35,756 patients have recovered till date, with 22,942 being cured and discharged in last 24 hours, according to a health ministry data updated at 8 am.

recovery rate improved to 63.33 per cent with India witnessing a steady rise in number of patients recuperating from disease, ministry highlighted.

On Thursday, recovery rate was 63.25 per cent.

number of tests for detection of coronavirus cases has crossed 13-million mark with 3,33,228 samples being tested on Thursday. cumulative 1,30,72,718 samples tested so far has resulted in 9,473 tests per million, ministry said.

India, second-most populous country in world with 1.35 billion people, has 727.4 cases per million, which is four to eight times lower than some European nations, it said.

Also, according to it, country's case fatality rate at 18.6 deaths per million is one of lowest in world.

"It is also table that less than 1.94 per cent of cases are in ICU, 0.35 per cent cases are on ventilators and 2.81 per cent cases are on oxygen beds," ministry said.

Collaborative efforts of all states and Union Territories in house-to-house survey, contact tracing, surveillance of containment and buffer zones, perimeter control activities, aggressive testing and timely diagsis have resulted in early identification of infected persons. This has helped in early treatment too, it said.

India has followed a standard care protocol for differentiated categorisation of COVID-19 patients -- mild, moderate and severe -- as clearly formulated in Clinical Manment Protocol of health ministry, it said.

Effective clinical manment strategies have shown to yield positive results. Almost 80 per cent of asymptomatic and mild cases have been advised home isolation under medical supervision, ministry said.

Moderate and severe patients are being treated at eir Dedicated COVID Hospitals or Dedicated COVID Health Centres.

" strategy of home-isolation for mild and asymptomatic patients has ensured to keep hospitals unburdened, where focus has been on treatment of severe cases and reduction of fatality," health ministry said.

Medical infrastructure to ensure quality treatment of admitted patients is being continuously augmented across country. As a result of concerted efforts, hospital infrastructure for treating COVID-19 patients is stronger today, it said.

country has 1,383 Dedicated COVID Hospitals, 3,107 Dedicated COVID Healthcare Centres, and 10,382 COVID Care Centres with a total of 46,673 ICU beds. As many as 21,848 ventilators are deployed in hospitals of all states and UTs, according to health ministry statement.

" 'test, track and treat' strategy of Centre being implemented by state and UT governments is proving to be an appropriate strategy to deal with COVID-19 pandemic," ministry said.

While strategy to deal with spread of infection remains focused on early detection with widespread and easily accessible testing, intensive contact tracing is aimed at restricting spread, it said.

strategy implemented across containment and buffer zones stresses on house-to-house survey and surveillance of SARI and ILI patients with a focus on elderly and people with co-morbid conditions, ministry said.

"This has ensured that COVID-19 cases are identified in a timely manner and treated as per severity of symptoms eir at home or in hospitals." Ramping up of testing capacity has resulted in more than three lakh tests being conducted per day. A total of 3,33,228 samples were tested on Thursday.

Starting from one diagstic lab in January, re are 1,244 such facilities w, with 880 government and 364 in private sector.

ministry also stressed that re is short of N95 masks and personal protective equipment kits. Centre has supplied 235.58 lakh N95 masks and 124.26 lakh PPE kits to state, UTs and Central institutions, it said.

With a record single-day surge of 34,956 cases, India's COVID-19 tally zoomed past 10 lakh on Friday, just three days after it crossed nine-lakh mark, according to Union Health Ministry data.

death toll mounted to 25,602 with highest number of 687 fatalities recorded in a day, data showed.