COVID lockdown averted 29 lakh cases, 78K fatalities: Harsh Vardhan tells Lok Sabha

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday asserted that the four months of COVID-19 lockdown has averted approximately 14-29 lakh cases and 37,000 to 78,000 fatalities due to Covid-19. He said that the lockdown period was utilised to create additional health infrastructure, enhance human resource and produce critical elements like PPEs, N-95 masks, and ventilators within India. He also reiterated that the lockdown was a ‘bold decision’ by the government.

While addressing the day one of the Parliament’s monsoon session on Covid-19 management, the health minister said that India has been able to limit its cases and deaths per million with 3,328 cases per million and 55 deaths per million population respectively, which is one of the lowest in the world as compared to the countries that are similarly affected. He also highlighted that there was an increase in the dedicated isolation and ICU beds since March this year.

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The health minister further acknowledged that many of the epidemiological parameters of the disease are still being researched. The parameters include mode of transmission, the period of virus shedding, subclinical infection, the role of immunity, and many others. Adding further he said once a person is exposed to the infection, the disease may develop anytime between 1-14 days.

COVID-19 prevention measures taken by the govt

The health minister further told the house that constant monitoring of the disease trend, analysis of available infrastructure and planning in advance for the future has averted a major crisis as was faced by many developed countries. A total of 12,826 quarantine centres with 598,811 beds have been created he added.

Furthermore, in order to contain the spread of the virus the government has taken several proactive measures including the creation of a group of ministers (GoM) on February 3. GoM was created under the chairmanship of Union health and family welfare minister Harsh Vardhan. It consists of the Minister of External Affairs, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Minister of Civil Aviation, and Minister of State for Shipping among other senior government functionaries. The group has met 20 times since its inception.

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A total of 15,284 COVID treatment facilities with 1,314,646 dedicated isolation beds without oxygen support have been created until September 12, 2020. Additionally, a total of 231,093 oxygen supported isolation beds and 62,717 ICU beds (including 32,575 ventilator beds) have been created.

On March 29, 11 empowered groups were created to manage the Covid-19 epidemic in the country, and on September 10, the groups have been restructured based on the need and evolving scenario, he said.

The highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths have been reported in states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Telangana, Assam, Kerala and Gujarat as these states have reported at least 100,000 cases.

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