Covid-19 cases cross 57,000; Health ministry says ‘learn to live with virus’

New Delhi, May 8 (PTI): Amid a continuing rise in the number of people testing positive for Covid-19, the Union Health Ministry on Friday said people should “learn to live with the virus” while the nationwide tally of confirmed infections crossed 57,000 and the death toll neared 1,900.

The ministry also reeled off various datasets, including those showing a rising number of infection-free districts and an increasing recovery rate, to suggest success of the government’s strategy in the Covid-19 fight, even as it sought “a behavioural change” and everyone’s support in this massive challenge.

A large number of new cases were reported during the day from various cities in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, while Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha also reported rise in their tallies. However, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh reported only one fresh positive case each.

The economic cost of the Covid-19 fight and the ongoing nationwide lockdown also appeared rising manifold with Moody’s Investors Service projecting India’s economic growth at zero per cent for the current fiscal. It also said that a high government debt, weak social and physical infrastructure, and a fragile financial sector face further pressures due to the coronavirus outbreak.

According to experts, industrial and other business establishments may also face a huge labour shortage once they resume operations after the lockdown, which has been in place since March 25 and is scheduled to continue till May 17. Lakhs of migrant workers have either left for their native places or are in the process of doing so, including by trains and buses arranged by central and state governments.

There are also worries that the virus spread may grow further in newer areas following these movements, while a large number of Indians stranded abroad have also begun returning home in special flights.

During a press briefing on the Covid-19 situation, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said, “As we talk of relaxations to the lockdown and of migrant workers returning back to their respective homes, there is a big challenge in front of us that we also have to learn to live with the virus.”

“And when we are talking about learning to live with the virus then it is very important that the guidelines that are there on saving oneself from the virus are adopted in the community as a behavioural change,” he said.

Agarwal said there has been a reduction in the doubling time of Covid-19 cases in the country from 12 days till two days ago to 10 now because of the spike in cases at some places, but asserted that the peak of the disease can be avoided if the prescribed do’s and don’ts are followed.

According to the daily morning update from the ministry, a total of 3,390 Covid-19 cases and 103 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours till Friday 8 am, taking the total number of cases to 56,342 and death toll to 1,886.

However, a PTI tally of numbers reported by different states and union territories till 6.30 pm showed that nearly 57,500 have tested positive so far across the country. This marks an increase of nearly 5,000 since Thursday morning.

Close to 17,000 Covid-19 patients have also recovered so far, giving a recovery rate of more than 29 per cent. The worldwide recovery rate has been hovering around 33 per cent for the past few days.