Early Detection of Covid-19 Cases in India Has Resulted in Low Fatality Rate of 2.66%: Harsh Vardhan

Early detection of COVID-19 cases through widespread testing, surveillance and clinical management has resulted in India having one of the lowest fatality rate at 2.66 per cent, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday.

The minister, who visited the Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre (SPCCC) at Chhattarpur to review its COVID-19 management status, also said that "our success" can be seen in the recovery rate which is almost 63 per cent at present.

The 10,200-bed SPCC has been developed at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas as part of coordinated efforts of the Centre and the Delhi government to bolster containment measures, the health ministry said in a statement.

Briefing reporters after his visit, Vardhan said India's clinical protocol has focused on early detection through widespread testing, surveillance, prompt triaging and clinical management of cases.

"This has resulted in one of the lowest case fatality rate of 2.66 per cent. Our success can be seen in the recovery rate which is almost 63 per cent with more than 5.3 lakh patients recovered," he was quoted as saying in the statement.

The minister said that "as we proceed further into Unlock 2.0, it is critical to ensure that all of us rely on the 'social vaccine' 'Do Gaz ki Doori' and each one of us must follow COVID appropriate behaviour".

At the Chhattarpur facility, the health minister visited its kitchen area and inspected the SPCCC's stores, according to the statement.

It said the SPCCC follows naturopathy and protocols of ayurveda to boost immunity of in-patients at the centre and "they are given 'ayurvedic kadha' in the morning followed by meals as advised by dieticians and the day ends with milk with turmeric".

Vardhan, who was in a PPE suit, "interacted with nearly 12 patients and enquired about their health and wellbeing, in addition to the facilities and health care that they receive at the centre," the statement said.

He also enquired about the sanitation and hygiene at the SPCCC and visited nursing stations.

The minister lauded the services being provided by doctors, nursing staff and sanitation workers, among others, at the coronavirus care centre.

Vardhan also interacted with the 30 people who after recovering from the disease are now offering their services at the centre as volunteers.

Calling them "COVID Warriors", he thanked them for their contribution and dedication. The minister also thanked all those who made donations for establishing the SPCCC and its daily operations.

Vardhan was informed that out of the 10,200 beds at the SPCCC, 2,000 are operational.

There are 88 enclosures each with a capacity of 100 to 116 beds with two enclosures supervised by one nursing station. Ten per cent of the beds have oxygen support.

The statement said that as on date, 123 patients are admitted out of which five patients with co-morbidities have been shifted to hospitals for tertiary care.

In-house psychological counselling and psychiatry services are being provided by NIMHANS trained counsellors at the SPCCC. Meditation and Yoga sessions for the patients are conducted and telemedicine support is being provided by the Referral Hospital, ITBP, it said.

The health minister said that "we have ramped up the public healthcare infrastructure across the country to combat COVID-19" and commended the coordinated efforts of Delhi district authorities and ITBP personnel in setting up of the SPCCC in a record ten days.