Coronavirus COVID-19 doubling rate now 7.5 days from 3.4 before lockdown, says Health Ministry

As per the data released by the Health Ministry, at least 18 states have performed better than the national average doubling rate of coronavirus cases.

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New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry said on Monday (April 20) that the average rate of doubling of coronavirus COVID-19 cases in the country has improved to 7.5 days from 3.4 after the central government enforced the nation-wide lockdown restriction. A total of 1,553 new COVID-19 cases and 36 deaths were reported in India in the past 24 hours, the ministry said, adding that 2,546 people have been cured of the virus so far.

The total confirmed cases of coronavirus in India stands at 17,265 on Monday. 

The ministry said that the doubling rate of coronavirus cases is more than 30 days in states like Odisha and Kerala; whereas the situation is 'especially serious' in cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Indore and Pune. In Goa, all coronavirus patients have been recovered and there is no active case in the coastal state now. 

Here's a data that presents the doubling rates for 18 states: 

Less than 20 Days:

Delhi: 8.5 days
Karnataka: 9.2 days
Telangana: 9.4 days
Andhra Pradesh: 10.6 days
J&K (UT): 11.5 days
Punjab: 13.1 days
Chattisgarh: 13.3 days
Tamil Nadu: 14 days
Bihar: 16.4 days

Between 20 days to 30 days:

Andaman and Nicobar: 20.1 days
Haryana: 21 days
Himachal Pradesh: 24.5 days
Chandigarh: 25.4 days
Assam: 25.8 days
Uttarakhand: 26.6 days
Ladakh (UT): 26.6 day

More than 30 days:  

Odisha: 39.8 days  
Kerala: 72.2 days

Three districts - Mahe (Puducherry), Kodagu (Karnataka) and Pauri Garhwal (Uttrakhand) have not reported any fresh cases during the last 28 days. 

Six districts - Dungarpur and Pali in Rajasthan, Jamnagar and Morbi in Gujarat, North Goa in Goa have not reported any new case in last 14 days.

If 100 people contract the infection, 80 people are asymptomatic. The RT-PCR tests turn positive only when a patient shows symptoms. Despite this, there has been no change in the testing strategy by the government.

Lockdown measures improved situation: 

Lockdown measures have helped decrease the pace of COVID-19, the ministry said, saying the doubling rate was earlier 3.4 days but now it is more than a week.

80 per cent of patients asymptomatic: ICMR

The ICMR said during the daily press briefing that at least 80 per cent out of a set of 100 remain asymptomatic or show mild symptoms.

Mumbai journalists testing COVID-19 positive: 

It is very unfortunate news that some of the journalists in Mumbai have tested positive for the infection. I request all of you to follow all precautions while on the line of duty, including the use of face masks, sanitizers and social distancing. Whoever needs to be tested as per sampling criteria will be tested.