Fresh cases rise by over 800; fatality rate at 3.3%

17/04/2020

“Rapid antibody tests are for monitoring surveillance, not for diagnosis. Hence there is no concern with respect to the testing kits being faulty, that concern was with respect to immune response alone,” ICMR spokesperson R.R. Gangakhedkar said.

The ICMR added that there is currently no evidence to suggest that hot weather can have a slowdown effect of the virus.

The Health Ministry has said that 325 districts have not reported any coronavirus case so far because of the actions initiated at field level.

The implementation of containment strategies in some districts which earlier had reported COVID-19 cases has yielded positive results. One of such place is Puducherry’s Mahe district, where no case of the infection has been reported in the last 28 days. There are 27 other districts also where no positive case has been reported in a fortnight.

The Ministry added that the Central government has amended the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, to ramp up availability and production of bulk drugs.

All projects or activities in respect of bulk drugs and intermediates have been re-categorised, to fast-track their appraisal.