Health ministry: Fatality in 3rd wave significantly lower than Covid 2nd wave
The health ministry on Thursday presented a comparison between the 2nd and the 3rd wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in India
The health ministry on Thursday presented a comparison between the 2nd and the 3rd wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in India The health ministry on Thursday presented a comparison between the 2nd and the 3rd wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Indiaand noted the difference in the number of fatalities and the coverage of the vaccination. For the first time, the health ministry termed the present surge as the third wave of the pandemic in the country.
Here is what the health ministry said about Covid 3rd wave in India:
1. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Delhi and Rajasthan are the top states contributing the maximum number of daily cases.
2. In the week ending on January 19, India has 515 districts reporting weekly case positivity of more than 5%.
3. Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on April 30, 2021, when the second wave was at its peak in the country, there were 3,86,452 new cases, 3,059 deaths and 31,70,228 active cases. The proportion of fully vaccinated people was 2%.
4. On January 20, 2022, there are 3,17,532 new cases, 380 deaths and 19,24,051 active cases. The proportion of fully vaccinated people is 72%.
5. The 3rd wave in India is not witnessing severity because of the vaccine coverage, Dr Balram Bhargava, director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research said.
6. Niti Aayog member (health) VK Paul said the overall positivity rate of 16% is quite high for India. The surge is driven by Omicron, Dr Paul said.
7. The Union health ministry also presented a comparison of the 2nd and the 3rd surge of Covid in Delhi showing that the number of Covid beds occupied during the 3rd surge is low.
8. Adequate Covid-19 testing is being done in the country, the health ministry said. "One-day figures do not show any trend. If one day, there is low testing and a lower number of infections, then that value is not our interest. We provide weekly data which shows a trend," Rajesh Bhushan said.
