Coronavirus a living organism, it has the right to live like the rest of us: Ex-Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat

Dehradun: Former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Thursday said that coronavirus is a living organism that has a right to live.

Talking to a private channel, Rawat said, "Seen from a philosophical angle, coronavirus is also a living organism. It has the right to live like the rest of us. But we (humans) think ourselves to be the most intelligent and are out to eliminate it. So it is constantly mutating itself." 

Former Uttarakhand chief minister, however, said that man needs to outpace the virus to stay safe.

Rawat was trolled on social media for his unusual observation on coronavirus as it went viral at a time when the entire country is battling a strong second wave of COVID-19.

According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday, the country adds 3.43 lakh new COVID-19 cases with 4000 fresh deaths.

With 3,43,144 people testing positive for coronavirus in a day, India's COVID-19 tally of cases climbed to 2,40,46,809, while the death toll rose to 2,62,317 with 4,000 fresh fatalities, the Health Ministry data updated on Friday said. 

The active cases have reduced to 37,04,893 comprising 15.41 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 83.50 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,00,79,599, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.09 per cent, the data stated.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. 

(With Agency Inputs)