COVID-19: India's Case Fatality Rate touches new low of 2%, recovery rate nears 70%

Continuing its declining trend as a stroke of good news, India's Coronavirus Case Fatality Rate (CFR) touched a new low of 2%, way below the global average of about 3.7%, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday. The death toll due to COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel Coronavirus, rose 1,007 in the last 24 hours to reach 44,386.

The trend of reporting 50,000 plus COVID-19 cases continued for the eleventh day in India after it recorded the highest single-day spike of 62,064 coronavirus cases. The tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases touched 22,15,074 Monday.

The coordinated efforts of Centre and State/UT governments on early detection through aggressive testing and efficient clinical management of hospitalized cases have shown results with continuously regressing CFR, said the Health Ministry in a statement.

70% of patients in India have recovered

On the other hand, with the highest-ever single day recoveries of 54,859 in the last 24 hours, the Recovery Rate amongst COVID-19 patients has scaled another high of almost 70%. India's COVID-19 recoveries crossed the historic peak of 1.5 million on Monday. Recovery of 15,35,743 patients thus far has been made possible because of the policy of testing aggressively, tracking comprehensively and treating efficiently, the Ministry said.

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Falling rate of active cases

The Health Ministry noted that record-high recoveries have ensured that the actual caseload of the country viz. the active cases has reduced and currently comprises only 28.66% of the total positive cases. The number of recoveries exceeds the number of active cases (6,34,945) by more than nine lakh. 

The Ministry attributed this falling rate of active cases to early identification of infections which helps ensure timely and prompt isolation of the mild and moderate cases and hospitalisation of the severe and critical cases thereby leading to the effective management of cases.

The Ministry further noted that Coronavirus infections still remain concentrated in 10 states that contribute more than 80% of the new cases. The aggressive testing and tracking through house-to-house surveys and well-implemented containment strategies and surveillance in these areas may lead to an initial increase in positive cases. However, well-implemented strategies will ensure it reduces over time.

Maharashtra (5,15,332), Tamil Nadu (2,96,901), Andhra Pradesh (2,27,860), Karnataka (1,78,087), and Delhi (1,45,427) have the highest caseloads in the country. Maharashtra has reported the highest death toll (17,757) and number of recoveries (3,51,710) in the country and contributes to over a fifth of new cases daily.

(PTI Photo)

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