New Delhi, 06 April 2021:

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India crosses a Landmark Milestone with Highest Single day Vaccine Coverage of more than 43 Lakh doses administered in the last 24 hours, Cumulative Vaccination Coverage exceeds 8 Crore Mark; Total COVID19 Tests conducted surpass 25 Crores

In a landmark achievement in India’s fight against Covid19, more than 43 lakh vaccination doses were administered in the last 24 hours. This is the highest single day vaccination coverage in the country so far.As on Day-80 of the vaccination drive (5^th April, 2021), 43,00,966 vaccine doses were given. Out of which, 39,00,505 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 48,095 sessions for 1^st dose and 4,00,461 beneficiaries received 2^nd dose of vaccine.In another significant development, the cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 8.31 Cr today. The first dose vaccinations have also exceeded the landmark figure of 7 crore (7,22,77,309) doses. Cumulatively, 8,31,10,926 vaccine doses have been administered through 12,83,816 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am today. These include 89,60,061 HCWs who have taken the 1st dose and 53,71,162 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 97,28,713 FLWs (1^stdose), 42,64,691 FLWs (2^nddose), 3,41,06,071 1^st dose beneficiaries and 8,12,237 2^nd dose beneficiaries more than 60 years old and 1,94,82,464 (1^st dose) and 3,85,527 (2^nd dose) beneficiaries aged 45 and above.The total COVID tests conducted in the country has crossed the 25-crore mark. The cumulative positivity rate has marginally increased to 5.07%. India’s daily new cases continue to rise. 96,982 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours.Eight States including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have shown a steep rise in the COVID daily new cases. 80.04% of the new cases are reported from these 8 states.Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 47,288. It is followed by Chhattisgarh with 7,302 while Karnataka reported 5,279 new cases.India’s total Active Caseload has reached 7,88,223. It now comprises 6.21% of the country’s total Positive Cases. A net incline of 46,393 cases recorded from the total active caseload in the last 24 hours.Maharashtra alone accounts for nearly 57.42% of the total active caseload of the country.India’s cumulative recoveries stand at 1,17,32,279 today. The national Recovery Rate is 92.48%.50,143 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours.446 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.Eight States account for 80.94% of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (155). Punjab follows with 72 daily deaths.Thirteen States/UTs have not reported any COVID19 deaths in the last 24 hours. These are Odisha, Assam, Puducherry, Ladakh (UT), D&D & D&N, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura,Lakshadweep, Mizoram, A&N Islands and Arunachal Pradesh.

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Centre rushes 50 High Level Public Health teams to Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Punjab for COVID-19 control and containment measures

The Central Government has constituted 50 high level multi-disciplinary public health teams and deployed them to 50 districts across Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Punjab in view of the recent very large numbers of daily new COVID-19 cases and daily mortality being consistently reported by these States. The teams are being rushed to 30 districts of Maharashtra, 11 districts of Chhattisgarh and 9 districts of Punjab to assist the State Health Department and local authorities in COVID-19 surveillance, control and containment measures. The two-member high level team consists of a clinician/epidemiologist and a public health expert. The teams will visit the States immediately and monitor the overall implementation of COVID19 management, especially in testing, including surveillance and containment operations; COVID Appropriate Behavior and its enforcement; availability of hospital beds, sufficient logistics including ambulances, ventilators, medical oxygen etc., and COVID19 Vaccination progress.Three senior officers from Govt of India have been appointed as nodal officers for the three states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Punjab.

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Centre writes to Delhi Government on Irregularities in Identification of COVID Vaccination beneficiaries below the age of 45 years; Show Cause notice issued to Private COVID Vaccination Centres seeking explanation

The Vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level. The Union Health Ministry has written to Principal Secretary (Health), GNCTD to draw attention to irregularities in the identification of COVID Vaccination beneficiaries, below the age of 45 years of age, by some Private COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs). In the letter to  the Principal Secretary (Health), GNCTD it has been pointed out that there have been serious lapses in registration of beneficiaries by the VIMHANS (Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health, Neuro & Allied Sciences) located at Nehru Nagar area in the North East District of Delhi, operating as a Private COVID Vaccination Centre. VIMHANS has been found to register beneficiaries below the age of 45 years as Health Care Workers (HCWs) &Front Line Workers (FLWs), and vaccinate them. As per provisions of the ongoing COVID-I9 Vaccination Drive, citizens above 45 years of age (from 1^st April 2021) are being vaccinated along with Health Care Workers (HCWs) &Front Line Workers (FLWs) above 18 years of age as per the recommendations of NEGVAC. CoWIN sample data (l9th March-3rd April 2021) of vaccinated beneficiaries from this Private CVC verified by the Health Ministry, revealed that many beneficiaries lie outside the ambit of the eligible beneficiaries (not under the identified priority populations groups), in violation of the guidelines laid down by the Union Health Ministry.

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Dr Harsh Vardhan launches Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP), the revised next generation Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) digital platform

The Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan virtually launched the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) yesterday, in the presence of of Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. Chief Minister Shri Tirath Singh Rawat (Uttarkhand) also participated digitally. The Integrated Health Information Platform is the next generation highly refined version of the presently used Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).The virtual event was attended by Health Ministers of various States including Shri Balbir Singh Sidhu (Punjab), Shri Alexander LalooHek (Meghalaya), Dr. K. Sudhakar (Karnataka), Dr. Prabhuram Choudhary (Madhya Pradesh), Shri Jai Pratap Singh (Uttar Pradesh), Shri Etela Rajendra (Telangana), Shri T. S. Singh Deo (Chhattisgarh), Dr R. Lalthangliana (Mizoram), and Shri S. PangnyuPhom (Nagaland).Expressing his enthusiasm at the brave, futuristic and pertinent amalgamation of healthcare and technology, Dr Harsh Vardhan stated that “This day shall be written in Golden Letters as a day that marks a milestone in the history of disease surveillance. We have started a new chapter in India’s public health trajectory. India is the first country in the world to adopt such an advanced disease surveillance system.” He elaborated on the timely need for the software platform: “The new version of IHIP will house the data entry and management for India’s disease surveillance program. In addition to tracking 33 diseases now as compared to the earlier 18 diseases, it shall ensure near-real-time data in digital mode, having done away with the paper-mode of working”.

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All Central Government employees aged 45 years and above are advised to get themselves vaccinated to effectively contain the spread of COVID-19

The Central Government has asked all its employees aged 45 years and above to get themselves vaccinated to effectively contain the spread of COVID-19. As per order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions today, they are also advised to continue to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination by frequent washing of hands and sanitisation, wearing a mask or face cover and observing social distancing etc.

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INPUTS FROM PIB FIELD OFFICES

• Assam:Two more positive patients have died of COVID-19 infection in Assam in the last 48 hours, taking the total death toll to 1,109. According to the COVID-19 media bulletin, released by the National Health Mission, Assam on Sunday, a total of 7,075 COVID-19 tests were conducted on April 4, 2021.
• Manipur:Manipur’s COVID-19 caseload surged to 29,428 on Monday as five more persons tested positive for the viral infection in a span of 24 hours, according to a release issued by the COVID-19 Common Control Room.
• Meghalaya:Health Minister A.L. Hek on Monday warned of a second wave of COVID-19 if proper care is not taken.He said Meghalaya is already witnessing a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases and the return of many to the state is threatening a situation similar to the one during lockdown 1.Director of Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War on Monday informed that four positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in North-Eastern Hill University.
• Tripura:11 staff of Main Branch of SBI tested positive. Till now 7.5 lakh people have been vaccinated in the state.
• Sikkim: Sikkim records Covid deathafter more than 2 months.The COVID-related death toll in Sikkim reached 136 with the passing away of a 65-year old lady from Sichey in East District. Meanwhile, six new cases of novel coronavirus were reported in the last 24 hours in the State taking Sikkim’s tally of confirmed cases of COVID-19 to 6,263. There are now 56 active cases in the State.
• Nagaland: Two fresh Covid cases detected in Nagaland on Monday. Tally is 12,365 with 136 positive cases.
• Maharashtra: Maharashtra has become the first state in India to administer over eight million doses of anti-Covid vaccine to beneficiaries since the rollout of the inoculation drive.  In the light of the intensity of the second wave, the State Chief Minister Shri UddhavThackerey has written to the Prime Minister to  allow vaccinations for all people above the age of 25 years in the state.  The state has also requested the Centre for allocation of 1.5 crore additional doses of vaccines.  Maharashtra on Monday reported 47,288 new covid cases taking the total number of active cases beyond 4.5 lakhs.  Meanwhile, the Centre has rushed 30 teams of experts to Maharashtra to assist the State Health Department and Enforcement agencies in Covid management.
• Gujarat: The Gujarat Government has decided to start Covid Care Centres of 500 – 550 beds in eight Municipal Corporations in view of the rising number of Covid cases in the state. Gujarat reported 3,160 new Covid cases on Monday.   Meanwhile, the Gujarat High Court has asked the state government to take urgent steps to contain the spread of infection. It has asked authorities to stop all political meetings and large gatherings across the state.
• Rajasthan: CM Ashok Gehlot has appealed to the PM Narendra Modi to remove age bar for vaccination. Also, in addition to the two vaccines currently being used in India, other vaccines should also be allowed so that more and more people can be vaccinated without delay, he said.Rajasthan on Monday reported the biggest single-day spike of 2,429 new Covid-19 infections in the past four months along with 12 deaths.
• Madhya Pradesh: CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan has announced that a “Meri Suraksha Mera Mask” campaign will be launched by the state government to appeal to people to use masks. CM has also appealed to people to become ‘mask volunteers, vaccine volunteers, mohalla volunteers’ etc to spread the message about Covid appropriate behaviour and promote vaccination. The State reported 3,398 new Covid cases on Monday, taking the number of active cases to 22,654.

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