COVID-19 cases doubling now at 7.5 days, 3.4 before lockdown: Centre

The Union Health Ministry on Monday said social distancing is the only vaccine in the absence of any vaccine for this viral infection and the duration of doubling rate for coronavirus cases which was 3.4 days before lockdown has become 7.5 days in the past seven days.

Odisha and Kerala, meanwhile, have a doubling rate of more than 30 days.

At the daily press briefing, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, said as on April 19, 18 states have better doubling rate average than the national average.

"States where doubling rate is less than 20 days are - Delhi (8.5 days), Karnataka (9.2 days), Telangana (9.4 days), Andhra Pradesh (10.6 days), J&K (11.5 days), Punjab (13.1 days), Chhattisgarh (13.3 days), Tamil Nadu (14 days) and Bihar (16.4 days)", he said.

Total number of confirmed cases in India are 17,265, 2,546 people have been cured and 543 have succumbed to the disease. Total number of active cases in India is 14,175. Cases added in the past twenty four hours are 1,553 cases while 36 have died."So far, 2,546 people have been cured and the recovery rate is 14.75 per cent," said Agarwal.

He added that states where doubling rate is between 20 days to 30 days are Andaman and Nicobar (20.1 days), Haryana (21 days), Chandigarh (25.4 days), Assam (25.8 days), Uttrakhand (26.6 days) and Ladakh (26.6 days)

The Health Mnistry said that states which have shown a doubling rate more than 30 days are Odisha (39.8 days) and Kerala (72.2 days). Agarwal added that 3 districts - Mahe (Puducherry), Kodaggu (Karnataka) & Pauri Garhwal (Uttrakhand) have not reported any fresh cases during the last 28 days, while six new districts have had no cases in the past 14 days.