Covid Kills 4,106 People In 24 Hrs India Registers 2,81,386 Fresh Cases Of Infection

Centre drops plasma therapy from COVID-19 management guidelines

NEW DELHI: India’s COVID19 tally mounted to 2,49,65,463 on Monday with 2,81,386 fresh cases, the lowest in 27 days, while the death toll climbed to 2,74,390 as 4,106 more people succumbed to the disease.

However, 2,11,74,076 patients have recuperated from the disease, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.10 per cent, according to Union health ministry data.

The number of active cases stands at 35,16,997, accounting for 14.09 per cent of the total infections. The national recovery rate has improved to 84.81 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 31,64,23,658 samples had been tested up to May 16 with15,73,515 tested on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the government on Monday revised the clinical guidance for COVID19 treatment, dropping the off-label use of convalescent plasma as it was found not beneficial in reducing the progression to severe disease or death.

The development came following a meeting of the ICMR-National Task Force for COVID-19 last week wherein all members were in favour of removing the use of convalescent plasma from the guidelines citing its ineffectiveness and inappropriate use in several cases.

An Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) official said the task force “revised” the Clinical Guidance for Management of Adult COVID-19 Patients and “dropped convalescent plasma (off-label)”.