India's COVID-19 count crosses one lakh mark; Ministry of Health seeks solace in improving recovery rate

India’s COVID-19 count surpassed the one lakh mark on the back of a sharp spike of 14,000 cases in three days to settle at 1,00,126 on Monday, but the Health ministry sought solace in the rapidly improving recovery rate and the “lower” number of cases per one lakh population.

Experts said the sharp increase in numbers on Sunday and Monday came 14 days after easing of restrictions on May 3, referring to the 14-day cycle of the virus.

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The confirmed cases of COVID-19 touched 96,169 following two massive hikes of 4,987 cases on Sunday and 5,242 cases on Monday. 36,824 persons have recovered from the disease, putting the recovery rate at 38.29%.

A separate DH COVID Tracker put the total number of COVID-19 cases at 1,00,126 and the death toll at 3,151 at 9.30 pm on Monday.

Despite the galloping numbers, the health ministry claimed that the aggressive and early measures taken by the government have so far shown encouraging results.

WHO statistics show that the US which has more than 1.4 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 had approximately 431 positive cases per lakh of population, while the number was 195 per lakh for Russia, which has 2.81 lakh infections. The ministry said India with 96,169 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday morning, had 7.1 cases per lakh population.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research on Monday revised the testing guidelines, making COVID-19 tests mandatory for returnees and migrant workers who show symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) within seven days of the ailment.

The ICMR said that no emergency clinical procedure, including deliveries, should be delayed for lack of testing. All hospitalised patients who develop symptoms for ILI and frontline workers involved in containment and mitigation of COVID-19 having such signs will be tested through RT-PCR test.