Post-Lockdown, India's Infection Growth Rate Has Slowed Down

Earlier, cases were doubling every 3 days; now it is 6.2 days, says Centre

- Bindu Shajan Perappadan

The Union Health Ministry on Friday said the doubling rate of positive COVID-19 cases was now down to 6.2 days, compared to 3 before the nationwide lockdown that began on March 25.

India reported 1,076 new cases and 32 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 13,835 and 452 deaths. As many as 1,749 persons have been cured/discharged after recovery. The active cases now are 11,616.

However, according to reports from the State Health Departments, the total number of positive cases are 14,250, of which 11,848 are active cases. As many as 493 persons have died of the disease.

The ICMR said there was no evidence suggesting that novel coronavirus is showing any signs of mutation.

Doubling rate

Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, addressing the daily press briefing, said: “Before the lockdown, the doubling rate was about 3 days, but according to data in the past seven days, it stands at 6.2 days. Also, India has registered an average growth factor of 1.2 % since April 1, compared to 2.1 in the two weeks preceding that [March 15 to March 31] which is about a 40% decline.”