Government presents slew of statistics to quell mounting panic over COVID-19 pandemic

Also, 21,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 after taking the first dose of either Covishield or Covaxin vaccines, while nearly 5,700 contracted the infection after taking both the doses, government data revealed. At a press conference on Wednesday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the COVID-19 positivity rate in 146 districts was more than 15 per cent, while it was between five and 15 per cent in 274 districts.

"We are in the midst of the second wave of the pandemic and we are still seeing an upsurge. We cannot comment when the numbers will come down," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said. Presenting data from both the waves of the pandemic, he said 8.07 per cent of cases reported in the first wave were between the age group of 10-20 years, while in this time it is 8.50 per cent. "In the age group 20-30 years, 20.41 per cent cases were reported in the first wave, while in the second it was 19.35 per cent."

The data was released amid a growing panic that the second wave is somehow more powerful and could cause greater havoc. India is already grappling with a shortage of oxygen and other medical supplies as its health infrastructure is stretched to the limits due to spiralling COVID-19 cases. Asked how did the second wave catch the country unawares, Bhushan said, "Today is not the time to go into why did we miss or did we miss or did we prepare. It is time to jointly face the pandemic. Once we emerge from it successfully, then probably... we would be able to deliberate on this."

About those getting infected even after inoculation, Bhargava said it included 0.04 per cent of the 17,37,178 people who received both doses of Covaxin and 0.03 percent of 1,57,32,754 who took the second dose of Covishield. Vaccines reduce the risk and severity of infection, and prevent death, he said, adding if one gets infected even after immunisation then it is called breakthrough infection. NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul noted that there is a risk of infection even after vaccination. "So, we stress on people following COVID-appropriate behaviour even after taking the jabs.” He also appealed to the states, hospitals and nursing homes to ensure rational use of oxygen.