Excerpts of the Press Briefing :

• RT-PCR test is the gold standard frontline test for COVID2019, antibody test cannot replace this test.
• Utility of Rapid Antibody Test is primarily for assessing prevalence of infection in a particular area.

• Rapid Antibody Test is to be used in hot spots; it can also be used for surveillance and for epidemiological purposes in such areas where COVID2019 cases have not emerged so far.
• JS, @MoHFW_INDIA explains the nation’s testing strategy for #COVID2019, as to which all categories of individuals are to be tested.

• Here is the algorithm / strategy being adopted by the nation for COVID2019 testing in hot spot areas

• Total no. of people cured – 1,992; cure % is around 13.85%.
  In last 24 hours – 991 new cases, 43 deaths Total no. of COVID19 cases – 14,378. Total no. of deaths – 480.
• Our field level action is yielding positive results. Along with Mahe, Kodagu in Karnataka too has not registered any new case in last 28 days. Besides this, 45 other districts in 23 states have not registered any new case in last 14 days.
• Mortality has been around 3.3% so far, distribution of deaths by age group is as follows: 0-45 – 14.4% 45 – 60 – 10.3% 60 – 75 – 33.1% Above 75 – 42.2% ~75% deaths have been found in those aged 60 or above. In 83% cases, co-morbidities have been found.
• 4,291 of 14,378 or around 29.8% positive COVID2019 cases have been found to have arisen from a single source in Nizamuddin Markaz cluster.