ICMR study finds 4.5% Covid-19 cases in India are reinfections

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) observed that the reinfection rate among those who had already been infected by the coronavirus had reached 4.5%. This study was published online by the Cambridge Epidemiology and Infection journal which is widely regarded as the accepted manuscript on infectious diseases. The ICMR study is based on telephone interviews with people selected from ICMR’s laboratory database of people tested between January 22 and October 7, last year. 

“A working epidemiological case definition of SARS CoV-2 re-infection is important to strengthen surveillance. The present investigation contributes to this goal and records re-infection in 4.5 percent of SARS CoV-2 infected individuals in India,” the study read.

“Re-infection with SARS CoV-2 was defined as two positive tests at an interval of at least 102 days with one interim negative test. Thirty-eight of the 58 eligible patients could be contacted with twelve (31.6 percent) being healthcare workers," it added. 

India records highest single-day vaccine coverage

More than 36.7 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day coverage till now, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

Of the 36,71,242 vaccine doses, 33,65,597 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 51,215 sessions for the first dose and 3,05,645 beneficiaries received the second dose of vaccine, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Total COVID-19 Cases In India 

India's total active caseload has reached 6,14,696. It now comprises 5 percent of the country's total Positive Cases. "A net incline of 30,641 cases recorded from the total active caseload in the last 24 hours," the Ministry said.
Five states, namely Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Punjab cumulatively account for 77.91 percent of the total active cases in the country. "Maharashtra alone accounts for nearly 60 percent (59.84 percent) of the total active caseload of the country," it said.

(With Agency Inputs)

Image: @ICMRDELHI/Pixabay