Govt: Battling Covid with 15,290 centres, 16L beds

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, September 16

Giving details of the health facilities created in the country to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, the government today said so far 5.4 crore samples have been tested for the virus and 40 lakh people are under surveillance in India.

Responding to a written question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Nityanand Rai said, “India is testing about one million samples a day at 1,697 laboratories across the country.”

“As on September 10, a total of about 40 lakh persons have been kept under surveillance. A total of 5.4 crore samples have been tested so far,” the minister said, while noting that a total of 15,290 Covid-19 treatment facilities with 13,14,171 dedicated isolation beds, without oxygen support, have been created.

“Also, a total of 2,31,269 oxygen-supported isolation beds and 62,694 ICU beds (including 32,241 ventilator beds) are available in the country,” Rai said, adding that guidelines on clinical management of Covid-19 had been issued and were being updated regularly.

The minister said states were being supported in terms of supply of logistics and as on September 10, 1.39 crore PPE kits, 3.42 crore N-95 masks, 10.84 crore hydroxychloroquine tablets and 29,779 ventilators and 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders had been supplied to states, union territories and Central Government hospitals.

Rai added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a high-level Group of Ministers (GoM), Cabinet Secretary, a Committee of Secretaries and senior officers in the Union Health Ministry continue to monitor public health response to Covid-19 in the country.

Noting that a number of travel advisories were issued restricting the inflow of international travellers by suspending commercial flights on March 23, the minister said those coming in under special arrangements are being screened for Covid-19 infection.

Congress slams time limit on Covid debate

The Congress on Wednesday came down heavily on the government for imposing time restrictions on the Covid-19 debate in the Rajya Sabha where a little over two hours were set aside for the discussion. As many as 15 Opposition parties wrote to House Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu seeking four hours for the debate on the ‘once in a century’ calamity.