close_game
close_game

In worst-case scenario, India could report over 6 crore Covid-19 cases by March 2021: IISc study

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Sparshita Saxena
Jul 16, 2020 09:07 AM IST

In its “worse scenario” projection, the model predicted no Covid-19 peak for India until the end of March 2021. Whereas going by the “better scenario”, India’s Covid-19 peak could come by the “second week of September”.

According to the Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) projection of Covid-19 infections in India, in a better case scenario for the country, India’s total coronavirus cases could be as low as 37.4 lakh at the end of March 2021 and could get as high as 6.18 crore at the end of March 2021 in the worst-case scenario.

File photo: Medical workers in PPE overalls during a screening exercise during a nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic.(Yogendra Kumar/HT PHOTO)
File photo: Medical workers in PPE overalls during a screening exercise during a nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic.(Yogendra Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The IISc model “is a paradigm shift in mathematical modeling of infectious diseases” and is based on the country’s Covid-19 data and trends observed between Mar 23 and June 18 this year “to tune the parameters of the data-driven model”. However, the projections are likely to differ after taking into account the current Covid-19 situation in the country.

Also read: To ramp up coronavirus testing, Delhi clinics put TB machines to use

In its “worse scenario” projection, the model predicted no Covid-19 peak for India until the end of March 2021. Whereas going by the “better scenario”, India’s Covid-19 peak could come by the “second week of September” or by October.

The model laid great emphasis on the initiation of “one or two-day lockdown per week” to cut the rate of new infections.

“One or two day lockdown per week (e.g., Sunday, Sunday & Wednesday etc) with complete compliance along with adequate social distancing during other days is effective to reduce the spread,” the study read.

Also read: Why Bihar should be conducting more Covid-19 tests than Delhi is

It also noted the steady improvement in India’s Covid-19 recovery rate and emphasised the importance of appropriate medical care and timely quarantine.

“Among all measures, contact tracing, quarantine and social distancing are key to contain the spread in the absence of vaccine,” it stated.

India’s Covid-19 tally now near the 10 lakh mark with over 24,000 deaths and the number of recovered patients touching 6 lakh. Globally, the virus has infected 13 million people while over 5 lakh people have succumbed to death and over 8 million patients have recovered worldwide.

Get Current Updates on...
See more
Get Current Updates on India News, Weather Today, Latest News and Top Headlines from India.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On