Spelling out the benefits of the countrywide lockdown on the spread of coronavirus, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday that India’s doubling rate and the growth factor have both reduced since the restrictions came into effect on March 25. The original 21-day lockdown was extended to another 19 days till May 3 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India faces one of its worst health crises since 1947.
Before the lockdown, the doubling rate was three days. But once the restrictions came into effect, the doubling rate increased to 6.2 days, said Luv Agarwal, the Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Agarwal was addressing the daily press briefing on the current situation of coronavirus in the country.
India’s doubling rate, or the number of days taken for the cases to increase by twofold, is lower than other major countries, including the US.
Agarwal also highlighted that India’s growth factor, or the number of people infected by each person, has also registered a 40 per cent decline since the lockdown restrictions came into effect.
The official noted that 19 states and union territories, including Kerala, Bihar, Haryana, Odisha, Tripura and Punjab, had a growth factor than the rest of the country.
Agarwal said that 1,749 people, originally infected with the virus, have recovered till date. “Approximately 13.06 per cent people have recovered,” he said.
According to the latest update from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has so far recorded 13,387 coronavirus infections, including 437 deaths.