With 2958 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 126 deaths, India’s tally crossed the 49,000-mark, according to Union health ministry’s data on Wednesday morning. Its likely to cross 50 k mark soon.
According to the Union health ministry’s dashboard at there are 33,514 active cases of Covid-19 and 1,694 fatalities across the country.
The recovery rate of coronavirus disease cases in the country went up to 28.71% from 27.41% a day earlier. There are 14,182 people who have been cured or discharged, the health ministry data showed.
Lav Agarwal, joint secretary with the health ministry, had said during the routine press briefing held on Covid-19 on Tuesday that the doubling rate of the respiratory disease had improved from 3.4 days before the lockdown to 12 days now.
The nationwide lockdown was first clamped on March 25, which has been extended twice, and the third phase will end on May 17.
“Lockdown has yielded very positive results, doubling time has improved from 3.4 days before lockdown to 12 days now. At the same time, it is important that we sustain the momentum,” said Agarwal.
He said it was important to trace every contact of infected people.
“Conducting surveillance for SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) and ILI (Influenza-like illness) symptoms in facilities in containment zones and otherwise yields very valuable data and guides further action,” Agarwal said.
Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had said on Tuesday that India had managed to keep a check on coronavirus pandemic by not letting it slip into the community transmissions phase.
Globally, more than 3.6 million have been infected by Sars-Cov-2, which causes the disease, and 257,207 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins Covid-19 tracker.
As the country saw the highest single-day spike in the number of deaths in the last 24 hours, Aggrawal clarified, “We persuaded certain states as we were not receiving reports of cases/deaths on time from them, after which the cases have been reported and we have seen spike in death cases today,” and urged officials for timely report of deaths and cases in their states.
Furthermore, relating to the MHA guidelines to ease relaxation on certain parts across the country, Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, MHA sai that to maintain social distancing, “gathering of not more than 50 people are allowed at wedding functions and not more than 20 people at last rites of deceased persons.”
Meanwhile, among the total number of cases, Maharashtra continued to be the hardest-hit state with infections surging to 14,541 after 771 fresh cases and 35 death were reported since yesterday. Virus-related deaths also increased to 583.
Gujarat is the second most affected state as it reported 5,804 cases so far, followed by Delhi with 4,898 cases, according to the Health Ministry data.
Tamil Nadu saw a record high number of cases after 527 people tested positive for Covid-19 in last 24 hours, taking the total to 3,550. The death toll in the state increased to 31 after one new death was reported since yesterday.
