New Delhi: Amid the constant rise of coronavirus cases, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday shared some positivity and said that India’s death rate due to the viral disease is still among the lowest in the world. The country’s COVID-19 mortality rate has dropped to 2.43 per cent, officials noted. Also Read – Vending Machine Installed at Chandigarh Railway Station to Dispense Masks, Sanitisers to Commuters
“The number of COVID-19 deaths per million population in India continues to be among the lowest in the world,” said Rajesh Bhushan, OSD, Union Health Ministry, thanking the frontline healthcare workers and doctors for their tremendous efforts. Also Read – COVID-19 Pandemic: Try These 4 Household Items That Are Said to Kill Novel Coronavirus
The ministry said that the only way to contain the virus and bring down the COVID-19 positivity rate was by “aggressive testing”. Also Read – IPL 2020 to be Held in UAE, Governing Council to Meet Soon to Discuss Tournament Schedule: Brijesh Patel
“The aim is to maintain this level of testing so as to bring down positivity rate below 5 per cent,” the ministry said.
Speaking on India’s progress on the COVID-19 vaccine front, Dr VK Paul, member of the Centre’s NITI Aayog, expressed hope that the two indigenous COVID-19 vaccines are in Phase 1 and 2 of trials and discussions have already begun how will the vaccines be made available to those who need it.
“GoI will leave no stone unturned to ensure people of India and the international community have access to an Indian vaccine as early as possible. Every possible facilitation will be ensured making sure trials conducted scientifically and ethically, and we arrive at an affordable option,” he said.
The Health Ministry also clarified that N95 masks with valves are not sufficient to keep away infection, urging to increase the use of cloth masks.
“Evidence suggests that with a valved mask the person wearing it is safe but if they are asymptomatic person then propensity of that person infecting others is there. This is an evolving situation,” Rajesh Bhushan said.
Notably, India recorded 37,148 fresh COVID-19 positive cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total coronavirus tally to 11,55,191. The death toll, on the other hand, surpassed the 28,000 mark after 587 people succumbed to the infection.
