The rate is very low compared to about 4.1 deaths per lakh population for the world

India has recorded about 0.2 deaths per lakh population due to Covid-19. This compares very favourably with the much higher figure of approximately 4.1 deaths per lakh population for the world as a whole, according to figures released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

At the same time, the country has a continuously improving recovery rate of 38.73% amongst Covid-19 patients, the ministry said in an official statement. It pointed out that 2,350 Covid-19 patients had been cured in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of patients cured so far to 39,174 patients..

India currently has 58,802 active cases and all of them are under active medical supervision. Of these active cases, less than 3% are undergoing treatment in Intensive Care Units (ICU).

Record number of samples tested for Covid-19

A record number of 1,08,233 samples were tested across the country on Monday, taking the total number of tests conducted 24,25,742. This was in line with the ministry’s assurance that it would increase its testing capacity for Covid-19 infection to over 1,00,000 before the end of May.

India began carrying out Covid-19 tests in January with just a solitary laboratory having the facility to do so. This number has now gone up to ober 385 government laboratories and 158 private testing facilities.

The capacity expansion has been achieved by forging partnerships with all central government labs, state medical colleges, private medical colleges and testing facilities in the private sector, the statement explained.

To maintain steady supply of testing material to the labs, 15 depots have been created by roping in India Posts and private agencies for distribution. Many Indian companies have been supported to undertake production of testing material which was earlier primarily sourced from abroad, the ministry’s statement said.



IVD Bureau