A first: 24-hr recoveries outstrip fresh caseload

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 30

For the first time since Covid-19 outbreak in India, the number of persons discharged outstripped the number of newly infected in the past 24 hours, explaining the government’s decision today to begin unlocking the country in a phased manner outside of containment zones.

• Also read: 2 more succumb, toll rises to 44 in Punjab
• 69 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in Haryana; total tally now 1,790
• Tally goes past 300 in Himachal
• Baramulla reports 40 fresh cases

Though the daily case count surged to a record 7,964 today, number of cured persons rose even more sharply by 11,264 over the same period. India now has 1,73,763 cases, of which 86,422 are currently active and nearly an equal number—82,369—have been cured.

The total deaths as Lockdown 4 nears an end stand at 4,971 with the fatality rate of 2.8 per cent against a rapidly improving recovery rate of 47.40 per cent. Soon, half of all Covid-infected Indians would have cured, show trends.

“We had earlier said the lockdown-continuation decision would depend on our ability to manage the peak of Covid-19. With recoveries starting to rise rapidly, we foresee a situation where we will be in a position to contain the infection and achieve a balance of managing the disease and leading normal lives,” said VK Paul, chairperson, Covid empowered group on medical management. Physical distancing, masks in public places, hand and respiratory hygiene would, however, have to become part of community behaviour, added Paul.

Pilot Covid +ve, Delhi-Moscow AI flight returns midway

New Delhi: An Air India flight from Delhi to Moscow was on Saturday called back midway after the airline’s ground team found that one of the pilots onboard the plane had tested positive for Covid-19. The plane was on way to Moscow to bring back a group of stranded Indians under the Vande Bharat Mission. TNS

28% cases till Apr 30 asymptomatic: Study

New Delhi, May 30

At least 28 per cent of 40,184 persons, who tested positive for Covid-19 between January 22 and April 30, were asymptomatic, according to a study by ICMR scientists along with other collaborators. The ICMR is conducting a sero-survey to estimate the prevalence of community transmission in India. — PTI

Operation Samudra Setu next phase begins

New Delhi, May 30

The Navy will start the next phase of Operation Samudra Setu from June 1 to repatriate Indians stranded overseas amid the coronavirus pandemic, an official press note said. “In this phase, Indian Navy Ship Jalashwa will repatriate 700 personnel from Colombo to Tuticorin and subsequently repatriate another 700 persons. — PTI

Anand back in India after 3 months

Chennai, May 30

Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand finally returned to India on Saturday after being stuck in Germany for over three months due to travel restrictions imposed in the wake of Covid-19. — PTI

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