The number of total coronavirus cases in India is at 873, with 149 new cases reported since Friday, a Health Ministry official said on Saturday.

This includes two deaths which were reported since Friday, the official said.

The official said that the government has been pre-emptive and graded in its response to arrest spread of deadly coronavirus. They also said that social-distancing and the nationwide lockdown can play an important role in breaking chain of transmission. "Rigorous contact-tracing is underway," the official added.

The official said that doctors across country were being trained on the management of the coronavirus patients with the help of AIIMS, Delhi. "The Health Minister inaugurated 24x7 national tele-medicine facility at AIIMS for better Covid-19 management," the official said. "We are constantly engaged in discussion with States for earmarking dedicated Covid-19 hospitals," the official said.

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Talking about the testing process, a ICMR official said that all patients who are having severe acute respiratory illness are being tested for the virus. They also said that 44 private laboratories have been given the approval for coronavirus testing so far.

A reduction in viral load has been observed in Covid-19 patients who were given the Hydroxychloroquine drug, ICMR official said. However, no research on developing a vaccine for the virus has reached the human trial stage anywhere in the world, the official said.

Taking stock of the problems faced by migrant workers due to the nationwide lockdown, MHA officials asked States to use their disaster fund for providing relief measures to those affected.

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