Fatality rate declines below 1.5%

New Delhi, October 31

India’s Covid case fatality rate (CFR) fell below 1.5% (1.49%) on Saturday, the Union Health Ministry said, crediting the Centre-led strategy of ‘test, trace, track and treat’ for keeping deaths low and within manageable numbers.

Deaths per million population in the country stand at 88, it said. The ministry said 23 states and union territories in the country have a CFR lower than the national average, while 65 per cent of the total deaths so far have been recorded in five states — Maharashtra (36.04%), Karnataka (9.16%), Tamil Nadu (9.12%), Uttar Pradesh (5.76%) and West Bengal (5.58%). There is a steady decline in the number of daily deaths, the ministry said.

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Assam has decided to exempt foreign dignitaries and top officials from Covid test and quarantine rule. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has said it is “impossible to wipe off” Covid through a lockdown as the virus has “spread through community” and people should treat wearing a face mask as a vaccine till medication is made available.

Meanwhile, the wife and six family members of Union Minister Santosh Gangwar have tested positive. — PTI