New Delhi, April 7

Eight COVID-19 patients died and 354 news cases were reported in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infected people in the country to 4,421, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus now stands at 117, it said.

During a press briefing, Joint Secretary in the ministry Lav Agarwal said: “Total 4,421 people have been infected with the virus”. Of them, 326 people have recovered.

However, a PTI tally based on figures reported by states directly on Monday night showed at least 138 deaths across the country, while the confirmed cases reached 4,683. Of these, 359 have been cured and discharged.

Agarwal said cluster containment strategies and action plans for outbreaks, which are amenable to management, are giving required results in some areas like Agra, Gautam Budh Nagar, Bhilwara, East Delhi and Mumbai.

These strategies are also being adopted in other coronavirus-affected districts, he said.

According to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), one COVID-19 patient can infect 406 people in 30 days if he/she does not follow lockdown or social distancing, Agarwal said.

Meanwhile, Pune reported three more deaths, an official said. This takes the district toll from coronavirus to eight. However, these deaths have yet to be added to the national death tally  PTI

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 9

The coronavirus breakout may end Punjab’s wait to get the Clinical Establishment Act as the government is planning to bring an ordinance to end the plunder by private doctors.

The draft of the act has been hanging fire in the state for the past eight years.

According to sources, the state government is planning to bring an ordinance, ‘the Punjab Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation & Transparency) Act, 2019’, in the cabinet meeting slated for Friday.

The Chief Minister has announced that it is not acceptable that the way private doctors have shut down the OPDs. He said they would cancel licences of all the clinics and doctors, who have refused to give services in these testing times. The CM also confirmed in a TV interview that the government would bring in the ordinance regarding the act on Saturday.

Interestingly, with a view to regulating the functioning of private hospitals in the country, the Centre had enacted the Clinical Establishment Act, 2010, which was adopted by several states. But instead of adopting the same act, the then Punjab government decided to draft its own act and in 2012 constituted a Clinical Establishment Act Drafting Committee.

However, thanks to the powerful lobby of the private health care practitioners, the draft was never accepted.

After a series of meetings, the committee headed by Dr Rajesh Kumar, former head, School of Public Health, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, submitted the draft of the bill to the state government in 2013. The draft had important provisions like every private or government hospital has to display the services it offers and will also mention the fee it charges for all the services. Besides, it was also proposed to make it mandatory for all private hospitals to get themselves registered.

However, the draft was neither cleared by the cabinet nor it was taken to the Assembly. The members of the committee had publicly said that the draft of the move regarding the act was scuttled by the lobby of big corporate hospitals.

After formation of the current government in 2017, the then health Minister Braham Mohindra had also announced to implement the act but he also failed to do anything.

In November last year, the state government once again posted draft of the bill on its website and had asked for feedback.  But once again, the powerful body of private doctors was successful in scuttling the move. Soon after that, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu assured an IMA delegation that all their genuine demands would be incorporated before finalising any decision. But the act could never see the light of day.

 Provisions of the act

* Mandatory for all private hospitals to get themselves registered

* Private or government hospital has to display the services it offers

* Display the fee it charges for all the services

* Every hospital with more than 100 beds to set up Fair Price Medicine Shop and Fair Price Diagnostic Centre

* Free treatment to 20 per cent of Outdoor Patient Department patients and 10 per cent of Indoor Patient Department patients

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 7

Against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump warning of retaliation, India has allowed the export of a drug considered vital for the treatment of Covid.

The government on Tuesday said it would allow the US to import from India previously contracted shipments of the drug.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) came into limelight after Trump said he wanted to eliminate all barriers to make it available for the treatment of Covid patients in the US where the death toll has crossed 10,000.

Trump followed up his request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow export of HCQ by warning India that the US may retaliate if it did not export the drug despite his personal request, saying he would be surprised in case of a negative outcome as New Delhi has good relations with Washington.

India has been preserving HCQ stocks after preliminary findings in the US said it had “significant clearance of the SARS-CoV-2 viral load in the nasopharynx compared with non-treated controls”.

India put on a brave front on its decision to reverse the export ban on HCQ and paracetamol as well as a second decision taken on Monday to lift a one-month ban on 13 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). It said the decision to recommence exports of 13 APIs was based on a comfortable stock position. HCQ  and paracetamol were shifted from the restricted to the licensed list (meaning case-by-case clearance) after balancing the domestic stock position with India’s obligation to supply it to nations badly affected by the pandemic, said the Ministry of External Affairs.

Not just Trump but several world leaders in phone calls to Modi had requested India for reconsideration, especially on releasing shipments previously contracted by US companies.

The MEA also indicated that apart from fulfilling previous contract obligations and meeting personal requests from world leaders, India will accord top priority to sending paracetamol and HCQ to neighbouring countries that are “dependent on Indian capabilities”, thus indicating that Pakistan may not make the cut.

Further rationalising the decision to allow limited exports of HCQ and paracetamol, the MEA said India had always maintained that the international community must display strong solidarity and cooperation.

MEA spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava said the March 3 order banning the export of over a dozen drugs and the reversal was actually a temporary step as part of the obligation of “any responsible government” to ensure that there are adequate domestic stocks of medicines. Subsequently, the curbs were largely lifted after an assessment confirmed the availability of medicines for all possible contingencies, he maintained while asking that the issue should not be politicised.

Other sources agreed and said apart from paracetmol, most of these are not directly connected with the treatment of Covid. The API and formulations on which export restrictions were lifted are primarily made in Hubei province, the COVID-19 epicentre, whose lockdown prompted the government to impose export restrictions in March to conserve stocks for domestic deployment. The fear of shortages receded after Chinese pharma companies got back on track towards the beginning of this month.

The APIs and medicines on which export restrictions have now been lifted include Vitamin B1, B6, B12 and their formulations; progesterone and its formulations plus antibiotic APIs like erythromycin salts, Tinidazole, Neomycin and drugs manufactured using these.

The restrictions were placed after an assessment which warned that the stock-in hand of APIs may be sufficient for two to three months to manufacture formulations.

In India, the main API makers for HCQ are Ipca Laboratories and Zydus Cadila and the US is now ready to overlook a three-year ban by the US Federal Drug Authority on one of the companies.

Singh was a quiet power — driven by institutions and systems, Modi is visible and vocal, powered by his own personality. Both bring unique strengths to tackle coronavirus.

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 5

Five soldiers were killed while fighting highly-trained infiltrators in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the first major counter-infiltration operation along the LoC this year. Also, five militants were shot.

A fierce gunfight broke out on Saturday evening in the snowbound Ringdori forest area of Keran, 120 km from Srinagar, while the Army was looking for a group of infiltrators who fled after a brief exchange of fire on April 1. The Army cordoned a

4-square km area to ensure that the militants did not escape towards Pakistan.

Para commandos were airdropped at strategic locations to trace them. As combing was underway, the hiding militants opened fire. In the ensuing gunfight, five militants and three soldiers were killed. Two more soldiers were critically injured. They later succumbed to injuries.

“Alert troops, braving inclement weather and a hostile terrain, have so far eliminated five terrorists attempting to infiltrate across the LoC,” defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia told the media, adding that the operation was still underway.

The police claimed the slain militants were associated with Lashkar-e-Toiba.

In the past 24 hours, nine militants have been killed in two gunfights. On Saturday, four local militants were killed in Kulgam district.

Chandigarh, April 7

In Punjab as family members have been staying away from performing the last rites of suspected or confirmed coronavirus cases, it is government functionaries who have been coming forth and doing rituals religiously.

Out of 79 patients, in seven coronavirus deaths, there were three such instances.

In the latest instance on April 5, the last rites of a woman were performed by officials in Ludhiana city as the family refused to cremate the body fearing transmission of virus.

In another case, the cremation was performed by the revenue staff as the entire family was in quarantine.

In the third incident in Amritsar district last week, people did not allow a place in their village for cremating Nirmal Singh Khalsa, former Hazoori Raagi of the Golden Temple.

“The (last rites) document may be comprehensive but the real trouble lies when nobody, including the sons and daughters as well as staff at the cremation ground, are willing to touch the body,” Special Chief Secretary KBS Sidhu, who is in-charge to monitor state-wide coronavirus cases, informed in a tweet.

“It is here that field revenue agency, with tehsildars and naib tehsildars at the forefront, does the job.”

Stressing the need to recognise and encourage the officers and officials who went above and beyond the call of duty, Sidhu quoted the case of Harbhajan Singh, who died of Covid-19 on March 29 at Moranwali village in Hoshiarpur district.

“His entire family was in isolation ward as they had tested positive. Nobody from the village came forward to assist in performing the last rites,” he said.

Patwari Jagir Singh of Moranwali was assigned the task of arranging the cremation. He performed his duty without any hesitation.

“Jagir Singh, along with many others from his fraternity, is quietly doing their duty in these exceedingly difficult times. They deserve our applause and appreciation,” said Sidhu.

He applauded Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Apneet Riyait for honouring Jagir Singh for his noble gesture.

In the latest case, officials of local administration performed the last rites of Ludhiana resident Surinder Kaur, 69, on April 5 as her family refused to own her body and asked the administration that it was their duty to perform her cremation.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Iqbal Singh Sandhu through a video said the family reached the cremation ground but preferred to remain seated in the car that was parked 100 m away from where the body was consigned to the flames.

He said the entire ritual was performed by Duty Magistrate Jasbir Singh.

Now the district administration would hold her bhog in a local gurdwara on April 11 by pooling money.

Regarding the cremation of former Hazoori Raagi of the Golden Temple, Nirmal Singh Khalsa, paranoid locals of Verka village located on the periphery of Amritsar city protested for hours and even locked the cremation ground gate to prevent the local administration from the cremation, fearing it would spread the coronavirus and endanger lives.

After hours of persuasion, the locals agreed and offered a secluded common land for his last rites that was held late in the evening amid the presence of government functionaries and the son of the deceased.

Condemning the incident, Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal said the state government should have taken steps to ensure the mortal remains of the great ‘ragi’ were not disrespected.

Khalsa’s aunt, son, grandson, his associate and associate’s wife have tested positive for coronavirus after his death.

Terming as unfortunate the delay in Khalsa’s cremation on April 2 due to “unfounded fears”, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said this was because of misinformation and issued directives that no such incident takes place in future.

He said he had asked the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to ensure proper compliance of the government instructions by all health and other officials at the district level.

“Every deceased person deserv es proper cremation and there is a laid down health protocol on handling the body of a deceased COVID patient. This must be duly followed,” an official statement quoting the Chief Minister said. IANS

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A navy sailor has died in an accident onboard one of Indian Navy’s under-construction nuclear submarines. Considering the secrecy of the project, the Navy has not divulged the name of the submarine.

The Incident happened at Navy’s Vizag-based eastern naval command ship building centre jetty on April 1. Four Arihant class nuclear submarines are based at Vizag, while the first submarine INS Arihant was commissioned in August 2016. In 2017, the second boat of the Arihant class—the bigger, improved and better-armed INS Arighat—was launched and presently undergoing sea-trials. Remaining two submarines of the class are under construction. Naval sources expect that all four Arihant class submarines can be commissioned by 2023.

According to naval sources, 26-year-old sailor Paramajit Singh was on duty when accident happened in the boat.
“An incident of material failure happened onboard at Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. A sailor was grievously injured and taken to hospital. subsequently, he succumbed to the injuries,” said a naval official. Later on, his body was handed over to the family. Since he died while performing duty, he was given full military honour funeral at his home town.

Meanwhile, a Board of Inquiry has been ordered by the Navy to investigate the cause of the incident.

Arihant class submarine, the nuclear-powered submarines with ballistic nuclear missiles (SSBNs), are meant for deterrence with its long legs. Naval experts believe that SSBNs are not meant for fighting wars, but to prevent wars and we need to have at least four of such submarines to have a 24×7 deterrence. However, India’s plan to build six SSNs (attack submarine) with a displacement capacity of 6,000 tonnes is underway.

In 2017, dedicating the boat to the nation as a Diwali gift, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said: “Arihant is an open warning to enemies of India and enemies of peace” and a “fitting response to nuclear blackmail”. With that, India joined another club where the same big five— the US, Russia, Britain, France and China—have been sitting.

INS Arihant, an SSBN category submarine, is both nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed. She is armed with 750km range K15 Sagarika nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles. In future, she will get 3,500km (intermediate range) K4 ballistic missiles.

Three of its sister ships of same class are getting ready in the Navy’s secret yard at Visakhapatnam as follow-on ships. And all of which will move around the depths of the waters close to China’s and Pakistan’s coast.

Navy’s fleet of attack submarines, all diesel-powered, has dwindled from an awesome 21 in the 1980s to just 14 at present. Worse still, at least half of the 15 available boats are old and creaking, and undergoing mid-life upgrade. It means India has just seven-eight submarines that are battle-ready at any given time, against 65 of the Chinese navy.

Ideally, the Navy needs at least 24 submarines to meet its 30-year submarine building plan, which was approved by the cabinet committee on security in 1999, months after the Kargil conflict. The plan was to induct 12 diesel subs by 2012 and another 12 submarines by 2030, but repeated delays forced the Navy to rejig the plan.

Now, the plan is to have 18 diesel-powered submarines and six SSNs. The SSNs will be constructed in Visakhapatnam. Meanwhile, to develop skills and drills for operating SSNs, the Navy has got one Akula-class SSN on lease from Russia.

Chandigarh, April 4

When their husbands are in the field to fight coronavirus, the better halves are ensuring free food distribution to cater to the poor in Punjab’s Ropar district.

Also, the wives of policemen are making masks at home to handle the pandemic.

Over 33,000 meals of dry ration along with 800 masks have been prepared by family members of police officials in last one week at their homes and community centres, said Senior Superintendent of Police of Ropar, Swapan Sharma.

The ration packets have been distributed in slum areas, while the masks at every check point by mobile patrolling teams, he said.

“Together we stand stronger is the message that families of the Ropar policemen are out to convey,” Sharma said, adding each family has contributed Rs 500 towards the fight against deadly virus.

Women and children have taken upon themselves to make masks and pack ration packets.

With policemen on duty for 14-16 hours a day since the lockdown that came into effect on March 23, their families are showing all their support.

Out of 100 families that stay in police quarters, about 30 of them have come forward to help. By stitching masks at home, they are doing their bit to ensure safety and health.

Spouses, children and even parents are enthusiastically participating to ease the burden on the policemen by making packs out of ration donated by the NGOs and the public, he said.

“We couldn’t think of anything better than making masks to keep our men in khaki safe in these tough times,” said Sukhwinder Kaur, 48, wife of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Jagtar Singh.

Shruti, 16, daughter of ASI Chandermohan with the help of her elder and younger sisters is making use of her sewing skills in making masks.

ASI Vinod Kumar’s wife Praveen Kaur has enlisted the help of her three children to make ration packs for the less fortunate.

“Lending a helping hand even if little means huge in this time of uncertainty. Also, our children imbibe value of standing with everyone in difficult times with doing as much as they can,” she said.

Lovepreet Kaur, daughter of ASI Jagir Singh, added: “Making ration packs may not mean much in ordinary times but at moments like these when policemen are overworked each little help counts. I am glad that we are taking off a little of the burden off the shoulders of forces by making use of the time.” — IANS