/ !"#$ ./0! !"#$" VRGR $"#(!#1')VCEBRS WWT!Pa!RT%&!$"#1$# 4005 012$3 671081*$% 4.#&! 6 %& '())) * 6+ 6 * ( * ++* ( &, -())) *9 * + * 6* + * * 6 ,* 7 8 , /+/ '12 ')- !"#" $ $% &&#&'&'( ) 3 40/ $$ Q R % & & " '% he Indian Council of s early as mid-March, TMedical Research (ICMR) AWorld Health on Tuesday asked the States to Organization (WHO) head stop using the newly-distrib- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus uted Chinese rapid testing kits had said, “We have a simple (RT-PCR) meant to detect message to all countries — test, coronavirus for the next two test, test,” but India is yet to fol- days amid reports of inaccurate low the advice. results from Rajasthan and An analysis of the global three other States. data shows that India has one India procured five lakh of the lowest Covid-19 testing rapid antibody testing kits from ratios compared to other first two Chinese firms last week 20 worst-affected countries, and these were distributed to suggesting that infection con- States for the districts with a tainment measures may not be high burden of the infection. As adequate because of this. per the ICMR, variation in " # $%& India has conducted only accuracy of results ranges from ( 291 tests per million popula- 6-71 per cent. It will be send- # ! tion as of April 21, compared ing expert teams on fields to to 12,186 in the US, 23,122 in test the new RT-PCR kits. said if the kits are found faulty, Rajasthan Government Italy, 14,682 in Russia and “We received a complaint replacement process would be stopped using the China-made 20,629 tests per million popu- of less detection from one initiated. rapid testing kits for coron- lation in Germany. State. So we spoke to three “This is not a good thing avirus after they delivered inac- In just a week, alarmingly, succumbed to the contagion. States and found a lot of vari- because when such a huge curate results. India has also climbed three Radha Rangarajan, Chief ation is there in the accuracy of variation is seen we need to The Union Health spots up to 17th position Scientific Officer, test results of positive samples, investigate further even if it is Ministry said 705 people had among the 20 Covid-19 worst- HealthCubed, called for more " # $%& $ ' in some places it is 6 per cent the first generation of the test. been cured between Monday hit countries, according to the Covid-19 testing. while others it is 71 per cent, This disease is only 3.5-month- and Tuesday — the highest sin- data available from the “So far, testing has been Medical Research (ICMR) on “We have decided to old so all technologies will be gle-day rise in cured cases. Worldometer. greatly restricted but as we Tuesday has already put on - launch field studies for valida- refined over time but we can’t Additionally, there are now Experts said testing more emerge from the lockdown, hold the much-touted Chinese tion into the quality of rapid ignore these findings,” he four previously affected dis- people will only help early there will be an increased need made rapid test kits after they ! test kits. We will convey our added. tricts that have not reported detection and hence early treat- to test more and more people. were found to give inaccurate guidance to States in two days. He added that over the any case for 28 days, said Lav ment. More so when the It is amply clear that the cur- results as complained by States Kochi: Dr Simone Hercules, a Dr Hercules breathed his last Until then States are advised next two days the ICMR will be Agarwal, Joint Secretary in the asymptomatic persons are also rent test — RT-PCR — will not like Rajasthan, one of the 55-year-old neurosurgeon and late on Sunday in a corporate not to use rapid kits,” head of sending eight expert teams on Health Ministry. found to be the carrier of virus scale for India’s needs, given the worst-hit by the Covid-19. director of Chennai’s New hospital in the city battling Epidemiology and the field to validate the results. These are Mahe in that has claimed over 600 peo- complexity of this test, need for States too feel that more Hope Hospital, who died of coronavirus for almost two Communicable Diseases at The ICMR also said it will Puducherry, Kodagu in ple and infected over 18,000 sophisticated equipment and tests will help them to manage coronavirus, was refused a weeks. ICMR Raman R raise an issue with the manu- Karnataka, Pauri Garhwal in people. poor availability of kits. Hence, the virus better. Steps like proper burial by locals who He was infected by Gangakhedkar said at a Press facturer of the kits if results Uttarakhand and Pratapgarh in Worldwide, 2,505,433 have we need to rethink the testing lockdown are just being seen as protested at the cemetery the virus while attending briefing here. continue to be faulty. Rajasthan. come in the grip of the Covid- strategy,” it said. short-term measures. where his body was taken on to patients in his own hospi- Replying to a query he Earlier on Tuesday, the Continued on Page 6 19 while 171,851 people have The Indian Council of Continued on Page 6 Sunday night. tal. + - ( 2! ( 79-$# 0P . // 6+ testing of people in coron- government hospitals. CM Helpline. He also gave spe- ically screen the staff engaged avirus affected areas. They said people had been cial instructions to officials to there. sking officials to work Expressing satisfaction that asked to use emergency ser- ensure doorstep delivery of Yogi also reminded officials 2P (# Atowards early introduction pool testing had started in vices in hospitals identified by essential commodities during to prepare an action plan to he Covid-19 has spread to of plasma therapy for treating Lucknow, Prayagraj and Agra, the Health department. Ramzan and appealed to the explore new jobs for labourers TPresident’s Estate and the COVID-19 patients, Chief he said that it would help in “Police, medical profes- people to observe sehri and who had returned to their Lok Sabha Secretariat. Minister Yogi Adityanath said areas where coronavirus cases sionals and other healthcare roza iftar at home during the native places from other states. Residents of 115 houses in that the state might soon start were high in number. Yogi workers should be vigilant and holy month. He also directed nodal officers Pocket 1, schedule “A” area at the therapy as its results were also underlined the impor- protect themselves from infec- “Strictly monitor inter-state to be available on phone and * 6"6+ the President’s Estate have been encouraging. tance of social distancing by tion. Personal protective equip- movement of vehicles. The listen to the problems of natives quarantined as a preventive “I am told that early results people in quarantine and asked ment (PPE), masks and sani- administration should be more of UP in other states and leave ttar Pradesh Chief measure after a sanitation ! of plasma therapy have shown the staff monitoring them to tisers should be made available vigilant on Jhansi-Lalitpur and no stone unturned to redress UMinister Yogi Adityanath’s worker’s relative tested positive positive results. If so, the ther- ensure it. He also instructed in all hospitals as per standard,” Ghaziabad-Delhi borders,” Yogi their grievances. father and social worker Anand for coronavirus. detected with Covid-19. apy be taken forward with fur- officials to ensure availability of Yogi said. said, asserting that lockdown The chief minister said Singh Bisht was cremated A housekeeping worker in “It may be clarified that till ther study,” Yogi said during his oxygen and ventilators in all The chief minister was also had to be enforced strictly. that in the case of a destitute’s Tuesday on the banks of the the Lok Sabha secretariat has date no employee of the meeting with Team 11 officials Level-1, Level-2, and Level-3 informed that one crore people The chief minister was death, the local administration Ganga at Phoolchatti in Pauri also tested positive and was President’s Secretariat has test- in Lucknow on Tuesday. COVID care hospitals. had downloaded Aarogya Setu apprised of the latest status of should arrange for the last Garhwal district. admitted to the Safdarjung ed positive for Covid-19 and Research on plasma ther- Officials informed the chief app and officials had acted community kitchens, doorstep rites. “Also, if unfortunately Adityanath, who had hospital. the secretariat along with the apy is underway at two places, minister that emergency ser- upon 150-200 alerts received delivery and foodgrain and some native dies in other state, announced that he would not The Rashtrapati Bhawan local administration is taking including King George’s vices in hospitals that were through the app. food distribution. Officials his kin be taken care of by way attend the funeral, observed on Tuesday issued a statement all the preventive measures Medical University in non-functional for several days Yogi directed officials that were also asked to sanitise of sustenance allowance, ration saying no employee of the under the guidelines,” it said. Lucknow. The chief minister due to coronavirus infection, students brought back from shelter homes and community card and house under relevant President’s House has been Continued on Page 6 also stressed the need for pool had now been started in several Kota be monitored through kitchens regularly and med- schemes,” he added. & ( ((! the need to protect the jobs of looking to get back to work, Q! "R our GREAT American action is necessary,” she said.