More on Covid-19

NEW DELHI: At a time when strict lockdown has been enforced by many countries to battle Coronavirus pandemic spread, statistic from Union ministry of health and family welfare (MOHFW) and worldometers have revealed that India took longer than most countries in the West to show up 12,000 or more number of Covid-hit positive patients.The rate shows India took six days from its tally of 3000-6000 Coronavirus patients last week to double to 12,799.This when the US and Germany took just two days, Italy three days while the UK, Spain and France each took four days to double up their tally to cross 12,000-mark."This shows how our lockdown 1.0 for the 21 days beginning March 25, that was widely touted as biggest exercise in the world to contain pandemic, was successful. This combined with restriction on rail network and domestic airport restrictions has now given the opportunity to resume activity in industrial zones and rural areas while prescribing workplace norms when we commence operations in these areas from April 20 even during lockdown 2.0," said a senior government official in health ministry.The MOHFW statistics also reveal while 2.1 lakh tests were conducted on the day positive cases had crossed the 10,000-mark while 1.14 lakh tests were conducted on the day when positive cases crossed 5,000 mark two weeks ago.Only Canada has fared better than India on this parameter. Canada conducted 2.9 lakh tests and 2.4 lakh tests for the same corresponding number of positive cases.Italy that has seen more than 21,645 deaths, saw only 73,154 and 49,937 tests conducted for Covid suspects for the same corresponding number of positive case.The MOHFW and Worldometer statistics also reveal that India, despite its known clusters of densely populated areas, has shown 9 case per million population. With this India stands even behind Australia (253), Japan (68) and South Korea (207) and not just the US (1946), Spain (3864) and Italy (2732).The statistics also reveal that among deaths per million population, India is marginally behind its Asian neighbours and transcontinental countries such as Australia (2), Japan (1), South Korea (4).In the same category, Spain (402), Italy (358), France (263) and the UK (190) have crossed the 100-mark.