Almost 16,500 cases. 681 deaths

ICMR supplied faulty antibody kits to states & has now stalled testing

In welcome news, W.Bengal govt'll bear COVID treatment costs for patients they refer to private hosps

Media briefings now happen on alternate days. Here's what happened today

PSS, Home Affairs: Home ministry has informed states that nurses for senior citizens are essential services, milk processions units etc are allowed to function...

(again, I do not understand why non-health stuff can be dealt in a diff briefing)

The PSS at Home Affairs basically lists out meetings on video conferences, every notification signed, & meeting held-- most of which are not urgent questions- for eg- those 12lac migrants stranded in 23 THOUSAND relief camps

LA, health ministry: 1409 positive cases yest.

We now have 21,393 cases . 681 deaths

We have brought in an ordinance penalizing ppl who attack healthworkers. This is anon bailable offence.

*propaganda video begins with Ajay Devgan starring in it*

The ad now says we should all download aarogya setu aap.

CK Mishra, health min: we dont want to focus on data today but discuss strategy & preparedness. These are challenging times. developed countries w. better resources are facing the same challenges..

Today we complete 1mon of lockdown. We are grateful to Indians enduring hardships today, so we can save lives.

1. In 30 days, we've been able to cut transmission, minimize spread, & inc. doubling days
2. Ramped up testing
3. Prepared for future

CK: We have taken lots of action in the past mon that we remain stable. (?! 12lac stranded migrants notwishstanding)

Mar23 we have 14900 test.
By 22Apr we've done over 5lack tests but we are conscious this is not enough. We have to ramp up testing further

CK: In this time, our positive cases have increased. But there is NO EXPONENTIAL growth. It has been linear growth. (?! we dont test enough to know this. This argument is a statistical anomaly as many epi have said already)

Our strategies have worked to contain this.

Comparing to other countries, says India (that yellow line at the bottom--again coz we do not test enough)

Based on our future projection, we need to evolve a strategy. In Italy, when they had tested 5,00,000 tests, they had 100000 + cases, in Turkey 120000+.
We are doing well

CK: Our strategy has worked well. Our testing strategy has been targeted & continues to expand- this is an evolving strategy.

(WHO recommends massive scaling up of testing, not targeted testing only in hotspots)

CK: We have mobilized all resources we have in public & private sector.

There has been a lot of activity in the last 30 days. The period (of lockdown) has been gainfully utilized to ramp up hosp capacity, esp at district level

CK: Some of our projections tell us that we need lot more capacity. Our strategy is to over-prepare.

Our first goal is that ppl shouldn't have to come to hospital. How? S.Disntancing, Discipline, takin care of the vulnerable (!)

Second goal is to enough infra in hosp so anyone who does come to the hospital gets care. Our aim is to test, cure & reduce mortality.

This flowchart shows how prepared we are. (I hope you all feel reassured)

The critical thing today is Oxygen. Our entire prep is to make sure patients get oxygen when they get to the hospitals.

We will try to cure patients are stage 2 (of that flowchart). If patient needs ICU, we'll move them to COVID care hosps which have ICU facility

In the last mon, we have increased hosps & beds, (see graph)

We have some 3700+ hosps.
24,600 ICU beds
12,371 vents

Dr Bhargava, ICMR: There is a shortage of reagents, PCR kits etc in the world but the govt has been working tirelessly to ensure these reagents are supplied to labs timely manner

(really hoping ICMR comments on the bungling with antibody tests. hasnt happened yet.)

Dr Guleria (AIIMS, Director): Patients are feeling stigma that is not justified. They are symbols of hope- that they recovered- instead we are stigmatizing them.

Their families should not suffer hardships. It is inc mortality because many patients dont come fwd or come too late

Dr G: Many of these patients can be saved. Its imp we reach out to patients who are now scared to come out to due to stigma.

(this is the first time in this briefing someone has spoken abt patients kindly, after WEEKS of LA & PSS leading the stigmatisation)

Dr G: Instead of sympathizing with these people, we have created an atmosphere of fear & stigma which is not justified.
I'd liek to appeal to everyone to support families & patients who have COID19, & encourage more & more ppl to come out early for testing.

It can save your life

Dr G: We can support people who need to be tested. I'd like to stress again that we need to work on not stigmatizing patients.

(I hope Lav Agarwal & Punya Salila Srivastava get the message)

J: What's up with IMCT in Maharashtra? (see link) Has a report been submitted?

LA: Central team went to Mumbai. 2 more teams are already there. We have anew strategy - its ongoing
(doesnt answer about the report) https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/maharashtra-health-minister-imct-visit-quarantine-facility-at-dharavi-transit-camp20200422141316/

J: Non covid patients are suffering (this ques comes up DAILY)

Dr G: we cant forget non covid patients, esp cancer, TB, dialysis, diabetes etc. Many hosps are using tele-consultation (sigh)

as we go forward, we'll have to find a balance b/w covid & non-covid centres

Press conference ends.