Continuous improvement in recovery ,Active cases also on declining from COVID-19: Govt.

The Union Health Ministry has said that continuous improvement in the cases of recovery from COVID-19 is being noted in the country from 3rd of May. The active cases of COVID-19 are also on a declining trend from this period. Addressing the media, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Aggarwal said that the number of Active cases has now come down to 12.1 per cent from the level of 17.13 per cent while the recovery rate has improved to 86.7 per cent from the level of 81.7 per cent on 3rd May. 

He said, from the last 9 days, the recovered cases have actually exceeded the active cases. He added that 69 percent of the total active cases are limited to only 8 States while there are 21 States where the recovered cases are more than the daily reported cases. He also mentioned that the six States-Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat which were the major contributors are now showing a decrease in these cases. He stressed on the need to ensure continued efforts at containment levels in the States reporting decrease in active cases. 

Mr Aggarwal also informed that India has witnessed a consistent upward trend in weekly tests since mid-February with average daily tests increased by 2.3 times in the last 12 weeks. He said, during the past one week, around one crore 30 lakh tests were conducted for COVID-19 and so far more than 32 crore tests were conducted. Quoting a study undertaken in 25 cities covering 2 thousand persons, the Joint Secretary, Health said that around 50 per cent of the country’s population do not wear masks at present and only 7 per cent wear it properly. Out of the 50 per cent who wear masks, 64 per cent of them cover their mouth but not their nose with mask.

During the briefing, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research Dr Balram Bhargava stressed on the need to increase testing with a view to further bringing down the case positivity rate to five per cent. He informed that on 18th and 19th May, the highest ever more than 20 lakh tests were conducted showing an increase from the level of around 8 lakh tests being conducted in mid February and early March of this year. Dr Bhargava also informed that the government has set a target of doing 25 lakh tests per day by the end of this month and 45 lakh tests per day by the end June.