COVID-19 Cases Doubling Now At 7.5 Days, 3.4 Before Lockdown: Centre

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry on Monday said social distancing is the only vaccine in the absence of any vaccine for this viral infection and the duration of doubling rate for coronavirus cases which was 3.4 days before lockdown has become 7.5 days in the past seven days.

Odisha and Kerala, meanwhile, have a doubling rate of more than 30 days.

At the daily press briefing, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, said as on April 19, 18 states have better doubling rate average than the national average.

"States where doubling rate is less than 20 days are - Delhi (8.5 days), Karnataka (9.2 days), Telangana (9.4 days), Andhra Pradesh (10.6 days), J&K (11.5 days), Punjab (13.1 days), Chhattisgarh (13.3 days), Tamil Nadu (14 days) and Bihar (16.4 days)", he said.

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The total number of confirmed cases in India are 17,265, 2,546 people have been cured and 543 have succumbed to the disease. The total number of active cases in India is 14,175. Cases added in the past twenty-four hours are 1,553 cases while 36 have died."So far, 2,546 people have been cured and the recovery rate is 14.75 per cent," said Agarwal.

He added that states, where doubling rate is between 20 days to 30 days, are Andaman and Nicobar (20.1 days), Haryana (21 days), Chandigarh (25.4 days), Assam (25.8 days), Uttrakhand (26.6 days) and Ladakh (26.6 days)

The Health Ministry said that states which have shown a doubling rate more than 30 days are Odisha (39.8 days) and Kerala (72.2 days). Agarwal added that 3 districts - Mahe (Puducherry), Kodaggu (Karnataka) & Pauri Garhwal (Uttrakhand) have not reported any fresh cases during the last 28 days, while six new districts have had no cases in the past 14 days.

80% COVID-19 Cases Asymptomatic Or With Mild Symptoms: Health Ministry

The Union Health Ministry said on Monday that 80 per cent of the COVID-19 cases are either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, and assured that they all can be tracked.

Addressing a media briefing, Joint Secretary at the Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal, said, "80 per cent cases are either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms as per the worldwide analysis. They can be tracked."

He added, "Over 15 per cent of the cases convert into severe cases and might require oxygen support, while 5 per cent of the cases turn critical."

Raman Gangakhedkar, head of infectious disease and epidemiology at the Indian Council of Medical Research A(ICMR) insisted that 80 out of 100 people do not show symptoms and therefore chances are that they might test positive.

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He said this is the reason why people should follow the lockdown rules and maintain social distancing. "In this way, people will not come in close contact," he said.

The comments came in the backdrop of concerns that there may be asymptomatic people who are yet to be detected.

(IANS)