Saved India From Entering Stage 3 Or Community Transmission: Harsh Vardhan

24 Apr, 2020 20:38 IST|Sakshi
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said that the government has saved the country from entering Stage 3 or community transmission stage. He added that 5.5 lakh COVID-19 tests have been done in the country till now.

"Testing has been made strong in the country. Today, we have already completed 5.5 lakh tests and after increasing our testing frequency our positive cases are not rising.

"The positive cases are not rising more than 4 per cent...We were all worried if we are in Stage 3, but we have been able to save the country largely from going into Stage 3," Harsh Vardhan said in a meeting with State health ministers via video conferencing on Friday, a leading news agency reported. MoS, Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Choubey was also present at the meeting.

On the issue of faulty testing kits, the minister said that the kits will be returned to their country of origin.

"We will return the testing kits to their country of origin, and we have not paid money yet. Strategies were made to use these kits in hotspots.

"Faulty antibody testing kits will be returned irrespective of the country they were procured from, including China," Vardhan added.

Vardhan has commended India's progress in the fight against coronavirus in the past 3.5 months, while recovery rate in the world is much better. He added that while doubling rate was three days, it is nine days now.

"On January 8, we held our first meeting, and today, in comparison with many other countries, fighting against COVID-19, India has done very well.

"We have fewer cases per million percentage. We have a mortality of 3 per cent, which is less. Recovery rate of patients, who contracted viral infection, is better than the world. In March, the doubling rate of coronavirus cases was 3 days; today it is close to 9 days.

The minister said that the MoFHW have full information of the areas where the virus is active.

"All over the country wherever the virus is active, we have the full information. And, we also know, what we have to do to tackle this virus in these areas.

"We are in a better position to control the disease. Containment and surveillance strategies have been designed meticulously," said Vardhan.

Also Read: COVID-19 Detection in 5 Seconds! This Professor Has The Software

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