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India’s Covid-19 tests cross 40 million, nearly 9 lakh conducted on Friday alone
According to the government data, at least 10 million tests have been conducted in the past 2 weeks.
India’s coronavirus disease (Covid-19) testing has crossed the 40 million mark with about 9 lakh tests done on Friday alone.
“…9 lakh Covid-19 samples each day for the second consecutive day, keeping a sharp focus on test, track and treat strategy of the Union government. India has already created a capacity of doing 10 lakh tests per day…,” said Union health ministry in a statement.
According to the government data, at least 10 million tests have been conducted in the past 2 weeks, which is a feat in itself.
The tests per million have also seen a sharp surge to 28,607. It is only by aggressive testing that positive cases can be identified at an early stage, their close contacts promptly tracked and isolated as well as timely and effective treatment can be ensured, say experts.
“The graded and evolving response has resulted in a testing strategy that steadily widened the testing net in the country. To keep up with this strategy, the testing lab network in the country is continuously strengthened, which as of today, consists of 1,564 labs in the country; 998 labs in the government sector and 566 private labs,” said the health ministry in its statement.
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India is also registering continuous progress on the recovery front and a reduction in the fatality rate. In the past five months, more than 3/4th of Covid-19 cases have recovered and less than 1/4th are active cases now.
With more patients recovering and being discharged from home isolation (in case of mild and moderate cases) and hospitals (severe and critical cases), India’s number of Covid-19 recoveries nears 26 lakh. At least 60,000 people have recovered in the past 24 hours, taking the country’s recovery rate to 76.28 percent.
The number of recoveries is nearly 3.5 times the active cases, which comprise 21.90 percent of the total cases. Higher number of recoveries has led to a constantly growing difference between recoveries and active cases. Crossing 18 lakhs, the difference stands at 18,41,925.
“The government has adopted a graded and evolving strategic response to Covid-19 management in India within the larger evolving global context. The early focus on surveillance and contact tracing through house-to-house survey was continuously strengthened with an increase in testing for ensuring early identification of positive cases. This has ensured prompt isolation of the confirmed positive cases either in supervised home care for the mild and moderate cases, and hospitalisation in case of those who are exhibiting critical symptoms,” said health ministry statement.
