First in a month: Daily cases dip below 75K, deaths 1,000

Blurb: Sero survey finds antibodies prevalence in 6.6% people

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 29

In a positive sign for India’s Covid-19 response, daily new cases dropped below 75,000 and daily new deaths below 1,000 for the first time in a month.

Besides, 24-hour recoveries outstripped 24-hour infections on all days barring two since September 19.

On Tuesday, the country reported 70,589 new cases and 84,877 new discharges, with the national caseload reaching 61,45,291. The recovery rate rose to 83.01 per cent. Daily new deaths fell below 1,000 to 776.

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India’s recoveries of more than 51 lakh were the highest and deaths per million (70) the lowest. “Daily recoveries are now outnumbering daily new cases despite high levels of testing. We hope this trend will hold,” Bhushan said.

The government, however, warned people against laxity and asked everyone to wear masks in the festive and winter seasons, which would present fertile conditions for the Covid spread.

The warning followed ICMR’s launch of the second sero survey findings that estimate around 6.6 per cent of people over 10 years (one in 15 people) had likely been exposed to the virus by August.

“Disease prevalence in 18 years plus population is estimated at 7.1 per cent, up from 0.73 per cent in the first survey. This shows lockdown and behaviour change helped check the virus till now,” ICMR chief Balram Bhargava said.

The survey took samples from 29,082 individuals across 700 villages and wards in 70 districts across 21 states to detect antibodies to the virus and found it in 6.6 per cent people.

‘Have funds for vaccine cost’

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday disagreed with the vaccine math of Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla. “We do not agree with the Rs 80,000 crore math. The Covid-19 taskforce has estimated the cost of distributing the vaccine and the government has the finances required for the purpose,” he said.