Despite the high number of Covid-19 deaths in the first wave that hit India during April-June, the death rate in the second wave in the country remains lower than the first. However, the death rate in the second wave is still climbing as states continue to report relatively high number of casualties.
The case fatality rate (CFR or death rate) in the first wave of the pandemic was 1.41 percent, considering that the second wave began in March this year. But, the CFR in the second wave in the four-and-a-half months is at 1.28 percent. Last month, the rate was even higher at 3.07 percent. Whereas in July, a death rate of 2.12 percent has been recorded, Times of India reported.
The overall CFR in the country is currently at 1.33 percent. The high CFR since May-end has been due to the high number of “backlog” deaths reported across states- Maharashtra, Bihar, MP, Goa, Uttarakhand and others. So far, 2,55,923 deaths have been recorded in the second wave (since March 1), nearly 1 lakh more than the toll in the first wave (1.57 lakh).
Meanwhile, the government said the decline in cases in the country is slow; a warning amid the impending third wave of the pandemic. It added that the next three to four months were ‘critical’ for the fight against Covid-19.
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In a Health Ministry briefing on Friday, Joint Secretary (Health) Lav Agarwal said the arrival of the third wave of Covid-19 would depend on people’s behaviour and the number of vaccinations administered in the country. Experts forewarn that another wave of Covid-19 may hit the country in August or October, this time affecting children more.
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