New Delhi: The Government on Thursday said that India has not yet reached the community transmission stage of COVID-19 amid a spurt in coronavirus cases, count rushed to 8 lakh mark. The government said that there have been localised outbreaks in some geographical areas.
Briefing media in New Delhi today, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry said, as per the World Health Organization report, India has 538 cases per million in comparison to the global average of one thousand 497.
In terms of death, India registered 15 deaths per million compared to the global average of 69.3. It said, most of the deaths have been registered in the high-risk age group of 45 to above 75 which constitute 26 per cent of the population.
It said, maximum 39 per cent deaths have been registered in the age group of 60 to 74 which is eight per cent of the total population.
The Health Ministry said, recovered cases are progressively rising and the total recoveries reached 1.75 times of the active cases.
A total of four lakh 76 thousand 378 people affected with coronavirus have recovered in the country so far and the recovery rate reached 62.08 per cent. Presently, the total number of active corona cases in the country is two lakh 69 thousand 789.
Health Ministry reiterated that there is no community transmission in India. It said, localized outbreak happened in few geographical areas and 49 districts alone constitute 80 per cent of the caseload.
On the vaccine trial, Health Ministry said, two companies in India have been given permission to initiate phase I and II human clinical trials for its potential COVID-19 vaccine and trial will start soon.
On the reports of airborne transmission of the Covid-19, Health Ministry said, it is an evolving situation and government is keeping abreast with the information coming out from the WHO on this aspect.
It said, from the initial stage of the Covid-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suggested keeping the social distancing for protection.
Health Ministry said, it has come to the notice of the government that patients are facing difficulty to get the few drugs like Remdesivir. It informed that the Drug Controller General of India has asked the companies to start a helpline for the people.
Meanwhile, Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMR said the government is adopting test, track and treat strategy to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
It said, testing has been ramped up in the country and total one thousand one hundred 32 laboratories across India have been given the approval to conduct the test for Covid-19. It said one crore seven lakh 40 thousand 832 tests have been conducted so far.
Home Ministry said, strict measures have been implemented in the Containment zones to contain the spread of the virus. It said, testing facilities have been ramped up in Delhi and now more than 20 thousands tests are being conducted in the city.
Health Ministry said, sero prevalence study has been conducted in Delhi and 22 thousand samples were collected from 27th June to 5th of July.
It said, in near future ICMR is planning to conduct a follow-up sero survey study at the pan India level as a follow up to the earlier study.
