Coronavirus latest developments: Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad among 15 ‘high case load’ places, says Kant

NEW DELHI: The death toll due to Covid-19 rose to 937 and the number of cases climbed to 29,974 in the country on Tuesday, according to the Union health ministry. The number of active Covid-19 cases stood at 22,010, while 7,027 people have recovered/migrated, the ministry said.

The Union health ministry added that in the last 28 days, 17 districts have had no new case in India.

Here are the latest updates on coronavirus:

CRPF man dies due to Covid-19 in Delhi

A 55-year-old Central Reserve Police Force personnel died on Tuesday due to coronavirus infection, officials said.

This is the first death due to the pandemic among the about 10 lakh personnel strong Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) or the paramilitary forces that function under the Union home ministry for upkeep of internal security and border guarding.

The sub-inspector rank official was admitted to the Safdarjung hospital a few days back after being detected positive for the virus.

Ensure critical health services are not denied: Centre to states

The Centre on Tuesday asked all states and Union territories to ensure that health facilities, especially in the private sector, remain functional and those needing critical healthcare such as dialysis, blood transfusion and chemotherapy are not denied such services amid the ongoing lockdown.

In a letter to chief secretaries of all states and Union territories, Health secretary Preeti Sudan also drew attention to reports of many hospitals and clinics insisting on a COVID-19 test before providing services and asserted that such tests be conducted only as per the guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

While it is the need of the hour to keep the health systems in a state of readiness to surmount any possible surge in coronavirus cases, it is also important that the non-Covid essential services are also provided to those who need them, Sudan said.

Covid recovery rate improves to 23.3%, says health ministry

With 1,543 new cases in the last 24 hours, the total Covid-19 positive cases in the country now stand at 29,435, according to the Union health ministry. The ministry added that no new case was reported in 17 districts in 28 days in the country.

In the last 24 hours, 684 patients have been found cured which takes our recovery rate to 23.3 per cent.

“This is