Coronavirus India LIVE Updates: 13 districts with high mortality told to address low testing, ensure timely hospitalisation

Coronavirus (Covid-19) India Latest News Live Updates: With 933 deaths being reported on Friday, the death toll touched 42,518. 

Thirteen districts in eight states and Union Territories recording COVID-19 mortality higher than the national average were advised by the Centre on Saturday to address the issues of low testing and delay in test results, and ensure timely hospitalisation. With reports emerging from some areas that patients were dying within 48 hours of being admitted to health centres, the Union health ministry asked them to ensure timely referral and hospitalisation of people infected with Covid-19.

Noting that total of 196 doctors have succumbed to Covid-19 in India so far, Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention on the issue. “As per the latest data collected by the IMA, our nation has lost 196 doctors, out of which 170 of them are above the age of 50 years, with general practitioners attributing to around 40 per cent of it,” the IMA said expressing concerns over the safety of doctors in the battle against the COVID-19 crisis.

India reported 61,537 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking its total caseload to 20,88,612, including 6,19,088 active cases and 14,27,006 recoveries, data from the Union Health Ministry showed. With 933 deaths being reported on Friday, the death toll touched 42,518. Saturday marks the tenth day in a row that Covid-19 cases have risen by over 50,000. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that a cumulative total of 2,33,87,171 samples have been tested so far, with 5,98,778 samples being tested on Friday.

Over 19.3 million cases of coronavirus and 7.19 lakh deaths have been reported across the world.