Coronavirus India Roundup, April 30: Over 1,700 cases in the last 24 hours, plan to use malaria drug in Dharavi on hold

In the latest press briefing, the Indian Health Ministry said that the recovery rate is now over 25% in the country and is progressively getting better. The doubling rate is also improving, and is just over 11 days; before the lockdown, it was around 3.4 days. At last count, 33,610 people had tested positive for COVID-19 and the death toll is now 1,075. About 1,718 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The case fatality rate in the country is 3.2%; about 65% of them are males and 35%, female. [caption id=“attachment_8146941” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] Over 58,000 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, with an average of 49,000 tests being conducted daily.

‘Considerable relaxations’ after May 3rd

The Union Home Ministry said there will be considerable relaxations following the lifting of the lockdown after May 3rd. Migrant labourers and tourists stuck in various states will be allowed to go to their homes in an organized manner. Further details about what ‘considerable relaxations’ entails are awaited. In hotspots and containment zones, restrictions are likely to continue and local administration will decide how to gradually resume normalcy. Of the 736 districts in the country, the Health Ministry has classified 177 as hotspots. As for transporting migrants, the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said that transport will be decided based on mutual agreements between states. Physical distancing will need to be maintained, and sanitised buses will be used. Further, only those with no symptoms will be allowed to travel and adequate testing facilities need to be made available on arrival. Rajasthan moved around 40,000 migrants back to their home states today, mainly in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

Ten out of 11 districts in Meghalaya are green zones

Meghalaya has reported only 12 COVID-19 cases and one death - from the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong, the capital, falls in this district. Given that the rest of the districts have not reported cases, local authorities have been given the go-ahead to allow inter-district travel, signalling a break from the stringent lockdown. However, transport still cannot travel freely through East Khasi Hills where some form of restrictions will remain.

Azadpur Mandi, Asia’s largest wholesale fruit and vegetable market, sees a rise in cases

Azadpur Mandi in North Delhi now has 15 cases linked to it after four more traders tested positive today. Contact tracing of the four traders is now being carried out. Over 30 people are quarantined in shops in the market complex as they await their test results. According to media reports, some of the traders had their samples taken over a week ago and are yet to hear back. Further, there have been reports of a shortage of food and water in the market complex. The high pendency of test results has already been flagged as an issue in the pandemic response; local authorities acknowledged the slow turnover and added that steps are being taken to improve the situation.

Plan to administer hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) prophylactically to Dharavi residents shelved 

Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum located in Mumbai, remains a huge concern as an outbreak there could spell disaster. Health officials had previously suggested that one lakh doses of HCQ be given to residents there in an effort to sidestep an outbreak. On March 22, the Health Ministry gave the green light for HCQ to be given to frontline health workers even when there was no evidence of effectiveness. It has now been decided to not administer HCQ after preliminary studies have shown that its effects are modest, even casting doubts on whether it works at all. A trial in Brazil had to be stopped after some participants died from cardiac conditions - one of the side effects of high doses of the drug. For more information, read our article on Is hydroxychloroquine effective against COVID-19? Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.