The government said on Tuesday that there are some new coronavirus reinfection cases identified in the country. Re-infection cases are those in which people contract the deadly virus a second time after being cured.
The first instance of coronavirus infection was recorded in Hong Kong when a 33-year-old man who was initially infected with the coronavirus in March and made a full recovery was reinfected more than four months after a trip abroad, researchers reported in August.
The Indian Council for Medical Research in a health ministry press today noted that such cases of reinfection of the virus were few, one in Ahmedabad and two in Mumbai.
“According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), there are around 24 cases of reinfection in the world. The criteria to identify a case of reinfection is between 90 and 100 days. The WHO has not yet decided the number of days. However, we are taking a limit of approximately 100 days, “said Director General Dr. Balram Bhargava, ICMR.
Earlier, the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had said that the reinfection cases are under investigation. He said those cases in India were insignificant at the moment and were being studied by an ICMR panel of experts.
“The ICMR is actively investigating reports of reinfection, and although the number of reinfection cases is negligible at this time, the government is fully aware of the importance of the matter,” Vardhan said during their virtual interaction.
Vardhan’s comments came amid alleged Covid-19 reinfection cases that were reported from abroad and from Indian states such as Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday that there was a decrease in the cumulative, weekly and daily COVID-19 positivity rates. They now stand at 8.07%, 6.24% and 5.16% respectively, he added.
The ministry in its press conference told reporters that the average daily rate of COVID-19 positivity has decreased from 8.50% between September 9 and September 15 to 6.2% between September 7 and 13 October.
The ministry also noted that 14 states and territories in the Union have a higher test per million and a lower positivity rate than the Indian average.
Speaking about the current situation of the new coronavirus pandemic, he also said that there are 8,38,729 active cases in the country to date. The number has been below the 9 lakh mark for the fifth day in a row. More than half, approximately 53% of COVID-19 deaths are in patients 60 years of age or older, approximately 35% of deaths are in patients in the 45-60 age group and 10% in the 26 to 44 age group, the ministry added.
India’s COVID-19 recoveries exceeded 62 lakh today; tallest in the world, the ministry added.
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