Daily Covid cases dip below 1,000 for first time in 2 years
NEW DELHI: India recorded fewer than 1,000 new cases of Covid-19 for the first time in 715 days, according to data released by states, days after the country rolled back the last vestiges of its pandemic-triggered curbs.
Data released by states on Sunday, collated by HT, showed that there were 865 new cases across the country, the lowest since April 17, 2020, when there were a little over 900 cases. In terms of weekly averages, the number of new cases till Sunday was the lowest since April 19, 2020.
In terms of active cases, the number on Sunday — a little over 10,000 — was the lowest since April 15, 2020.
The similarities between then and now are limited to new and active cases. India is now carrying out close to 18 times the number of tests every day than it did two years ago, when tests were expensive and capacity was limited. On April 19, 2020, when the cases on average were this low, the number of tests conducted was a little under 30,000. On Sunday, this number was 532,000.
Therefore, the test positivity ratio – a crucial barometer for how widespread an outbreak really is irrespective of testing fluctuations – is merely 0.2% now, compared to 3.9% then.
Experts said the drop is an important milestone but the country should not lower its guard.
“The number of cases falling below the 1,000 mark is definitely an important feat for India but this is not the time to lower our guard. Mask mandate needs to be followed and crowding at public places need to be monitored,” said former president of the Indian Medical Association Dr JA Jayalal.
NEW DELHI: India recorded fewer than 1,000 new cases of Covid-19 for the first time in 715 days, according to data released by states, days after the country rolled back the last vestiges of its pandemic-triggered curbs.
Data released by states on Sunday, collated by HT, showed that there were 865 new cases across the country, the lowest since April 17, 2020, when there were a little over 900 cases. In terms of weekly averages, the number of new cases till Sunday was the lowest since April 19, 2020.
In terms of active cases, the number on Sunday – a little over 10,000 – was the lowest since April 15, 2020.
The similarities between then and now are limited to new and active cases. India is now carrying out close to 18 times greater than the number of tests every day than it did two years ago, when tests were expensive and capacity was limited. On April 19, 2020, when the cases on average were
this low the last time, there were a little under 30,000 tests. On Sunday, this number was 532,000.
Therefore, the test positivity ratio – a crucial barometer for how widespread an outbreak really is irrespective of testing fluctuations – is merely 0.2% now, compared to 3.9% then. But, after three waves and widespread vaccinations, the biggest difference between then and now is a wall of immunity that India, like most parts of the world, has now built against the coronavirus.
At least 43 million people are confirmed to have been infected till now -- on April 19, 2020, this number was a little under 18,000 – and countless more were exposed to the virus, a number that was as high as 66% of the population last year, when the last nationwide serology survey based on antibodies was carried out. This number will have inevitably grown during the Omicron variant wave that swept across the country in January this year.
On top of that, there are now over 1.8 billion coronavirus vaccine doses given, with many above the age of 60 years and in high risk jobs having received their third doses.
Over the last two years, at least 520,000 people are confirmed to have died from Covid-19, although the real death toll is estimated by epidemiologists – based on death registration data – to be six to eight times higher.
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases crossed the 10 million mark on December 19, 2020, after the first wave. By May 4, 2021 – when the devastating Delta variant-induced wave gripped the country -- the country recorded another 10 million infections and in less than two months, on June 23, 2021, it added 10 million to take the cumulative infections to 30 million.
Till the end of last week, at least 22 states had dropped rules or fines for people who do not wear a mask, and all but five states had dropped all Covid-related restrictions, according to data gathered by HT from across the country.
Experts said the drop is an important milestone but the country should not lower its guard. “The number of cases falling below the 1,000 mark is definitely an important feat for India but this is not the time to lower our guard. Mask mandate needs to be followed and crowding at public places need to be monitored,” said former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Dr JA Jayalal.
He also said that the coming few months will be crucial for the assessment of Covid cases globally, as well as for India, and in this period, precautionary measures must be continued.