New Delhi: As many as 909 COVID-19 cases and 34 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of such cases to 8,356 in the country, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday, while asserting that the government is "extra prepared" if there is an exponential rise in the number of coronavirus patients.
Addressing a press briefing, Health Ministry's Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said the government is expanding the COVID-19 testing capacity in state-run as well as private medical colleges.
716 people have recovered and have been discharged so far. Seventy-four people have been cured since Saturday. The government is extra prepared if the number of cases rises exponentially.
"We are working on an urgent basis to expand the capacity for COVID-19 testing in government and private medical colleges across the country. Fourteen mentor institutes, including the AIIMS and NIMHANS, have been identified to mentor the medical colleges and expand the coronavirus testing capacity," Agarwal added.
According to ICMR officials, a total of 1,86,906 samples have so far been tested across the country, of which 7,953 have been found positive for COVID-19.
The Health Ministry also informed that 20,000 train coaches will be converted into isolation wards.
According to government spokesperson KS Dhatwalia, the Group of Ministers (GoM) has approved the release of hydroxychloroquine to 13 countries after an assessment of stocks.
Red, orange, green zones likely to come up during lockdown extension
The Centre is likely to categorise the country into red, orange and green zones depending on the number of COVID-19 cases during the proposed extended period of lockdown and might allow limited services to function in the safe zones.
During the four-hour-long conference with chief ministers, convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there was near unanimity in extending the ongoing 21-day lockdown, which is till April 30. The central government is likely to categorise the country into three zones -- red, orange and green -- depending on the number of COVID-19 cases, an official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told PTI.
Schools and colleges would remain shut but some small scale industries and liquor shops may be allowed to function.
There will be no activity in the red zones -- the districts where sizeable number of cases were detected or areas which were declared hotspots.
In the orange zones -- where only a few cases were found in the past with no increase in the number of positive cases -- minimum activities like opening of limited public transport, harvesting of farm products will be allowed.
Green zones will be in the districts where there is no COVID-19 case.
The chief ministers were against large scale inter-state movement of people, sources said.
Liquor shops are likely to be allowed to open as many chief ministers strongly pitched for it arguing that it is a major revenue generating way for the states, the sources said, adding restaurants and malls won't open.
However, some MSME industries falling under the green zone -- in the districts where there is no COVID-19 case -- will be allowed to function with in-house lodging facilities for employees with proper maintenance of social distance.
Agricultural activities are also set to be allowed in green and orange zones with strict maintenance of social distance.
Limited domestic air and train services may be allowed in select sectors with 30 per cent or less passengers while limited metro services may also be started in cities like Delhi with 30 per cent passengers.
Currently, in major cities like Delhi, 30 per cent of DTC and cluster bus services are operational for those working in essential services.
The city public transport services will be enhanced from minimum to optimal, another sources said.
The chief ministers are strongly opposed to any mass scale movements of people between states saying they don't have the capacity to put thousands of people in quarantine together, the sources said.
After the marathon meeting, the prime minister is believed to have directed top officials to work out on the guidelines -- on the restrictions and exemptions -- which may be announced either on Sunday or Monday.
