Covid-19 fight: Government hopeful of breaking the transmission chain, says Luv Aggarwal

Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Luv Aggarwal has said that inspite of increasing positive cases of Covid-19 in India, the situation can be controlled by following the guidelines of lockdown. He further said that there are 118 government labs in addition with 29 private labs which can test 12,000 samples everyday.

New Delhi:Government of India is optimistic that 21-days nationwide lockdown would definitely be able to break the chain of transmission of Covid 19 in the community.

"The trend (Covid 19 positive cases) was increasing. So we are taking drastic action to control the situation and the 21 days lockdown that has been announced by the Prime Minister was in that direction only," said Luv Aggarwal, joint secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He reiterated that there is no community transmission of Covid 19 as of now.

"If we all work together, we believe we will be able to control the situation," said Aggrawal. He also applauded the state governments for taking collective actions to enforce the total lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday had announced nationwide lockdown for 21 days. "In spite of the lockdown, it has been ensured that essential service continues and accordingly all the state governments have been advised," said Aggrawal.

He said that Government has adequate number of laboratories for Covid 19 testing. "With a testing capacity of 12,000 samples everyday, we have 118 functional government lab...in addition 29 private labs with their 16,000 collection centres across India have also been approved th the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)," said Aggrawal.

He also appealed people not to believe in rumours. "If anybody want any information over Covid19, he or she can logon to the government website," said Aggrawal.

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He said, "Yesterday alone the union health ministry's website has a page view of 222 million people." Aggarwal further said that there is no difference of data in Health Ministry and ICMR website.

"After they (ICMR) gets any confirmation, we try to find out the exact location of the patient due to which it takes time in uploading the data," said Aggrawal.

Referring to the reports that essential services have also been affected in several places in India due to police high-handedness, Punya Salila Srivastava, a senior officer from the Union Home Ministry said that the ministry is looking into the matter.

"MHA has ensured that there is no disruption in essential services. We have set up a monitoring team in the Ministry under the supervision of a senior level joint secretary officer...all the states have also been asked to create helpline numbers for the people," said Srivastava. She said that situation will improve over continuity of essential services.

On the other hand, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has a meeting with pharmaceutical secretary Dr PD Vaghela and other senior officials to ensure availability of Covid 19 diagnostic kits.

Meanwhile, Health Ministry has recorded 606 Covid 19 cases in India till filling of the report.

As per Health Ministry website, there are 553 active Covid 19 positive cases, 43 patients have been cured/discharged, 1 migrated victim and 10 deaths have been registered across India.

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