Infection waning, Covid turns endemic: Experts

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, November 2

Cases of Covid-19 have started declining in the city with no fresh infection being reported over the past two consecutive days. However, the city reported six fresh cases on Wednesday, with a positivity rate of 1.14 per cent.

In October, as many as 95 Covid cases were recorded in the city, a 75% decline in comparison to the previous month, when 387 cases were reported.

The average number of cases reported in the past week stands at two and the average positivity rate remains 0.90%. The overall positivity rate of the city is 7.49% with 99,305 positive cases, against 13,25,272 samples tested.

Prof PVM Lakshmi, Department of Community Medicine, PGI, says: “Covid-19 has become endemic as it is now circulating internally, but the present strain is less severe. We need to keep an eye on any emerging severe strain that can cause serious infection in the community.” Dr Suman Singh, Director Health Services, Chandigarh, says there is nothing severe about Covid now and that it has turned into an endemic.

“For now, it appears there is no Covid scare as the cases being recorded in the recent past are negligible. It is clear Covid-19 has turned into endemic, but a lot depends on which strain is circulating in the country,” says Dr Singh.

“While the pandemic will be considered based upon the global situation, it can be confidently said Sars-CoV2 has become endemic in India. There is a sustained Sars Covid-19 circulation andtransmission of infection but impact of those infections is minimal,” says Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, a noted epidemiologist and public health expert.

Dr Suneela Garg, member, National Covid-19 task force, says: “Pandemic is moving towards endemicity as the number of cases is declining, but the situation is different in other countries.”

Sars-CoV2 somewhat contained

While the call on pandemic is largely basedon the global scenario, it can be confidently saidSars-CoV2 has become endemic in India. —Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, epidemiologist

No scare, but keep tabs on strain

For now, it appears there is no Covid scare. It is clear Covid has turned into endemic, but a lot depends on which strain is circulating in country. — Dr Suman Singh, Director, Health Services, UT