Coronavirus pandemic | 80% patients recover on their own, 5% require hospitalisation, says ICMR

Close to 80 percent patients may come down with a light cold and fever and recover on their own without getting to know that they were infected by the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director Balram Bhargava said.

Elaborating on the nature of COVID-19, Bhargava said 20 percent of those infected may show symptoms like cough, cold and fever. Of this, only 5 percent require hospitalisation, he added.

India has 390 reported cases of coronavirus infection including foreign nationals. As many as 24 people have recovered, while seven have died.

ICMR is conducting an evaluation on the basis of COVID-19 cases and deaths reported so far in the country, Bhargava explained, adding that such an evaluation can help gauge how many more such cases and deaths can increase by March 24.

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On the approval given to private labs to conduct coronavirus tests, Bhargava said there have been 60 registrations so far and more applications are under consideration.

Four private labs in Maharashtra and one each in Gujarat and Karnataka have so far been approved to conduct COVID-19 tests, the ICMR website stated.

Besides 111 government labs are already functional in this regard, he said, adding that the most important thing to remember is that indiscriminate testing is not to be done and the thrust should be on isolation".

The ICMR director asserted that a lockdown is the most essential thing for breaking the chain of transmission.

(With inputs from PTI)