(Image source from: zeenews.com)

Union Health Ministry on Sunday released data of COVID-19 fatalities of 29 states and Union Territories and India’s 14 states have reported a death rate of less than 1%.

Though India has been witnessing biggest rise in coronavirus cases on a daily basis, the mortality rate of COVID-19 has fallen below 2.5% according to the statistics.

Also, as per previous report, the number fatalities are more in men than women in India and the current fatality rate of the country stands at 2.49% and makes way into the list of countries with lowest fatality rates.

The ministry has mentioned that with its effective containment strategy, ramped up testing process and clinical management protocols it has been able to control the death rate in the country.

The state and central governments have recently started to ramp up the number of COVID-19 tests across states with the combined efforts of public and private sectors.

The high risk population in all the states has been under continuous screening through population surveys and mobile apps and has ensured timely treatment to the needy COVID-19 patients, according to the statement released by the Union health ministry.

Moreover, health workers like ASHA and ANM have done a commendable job in managing the migrant workers and increasing the awareness of COVID-19 in many communities.

As on today, July 20, there are 5 states and Union territories with zero fatality rate and 14 states have the death rate of less than 1%.

However, a senior government official told The Indian Express that death rate due to COVID-19 in states like Maharashtra and Gujarat has exceeded the national average. Among the 29 states, Maharashtra has the fatality rate of 3.85%, Gujarat has 4.48% and West Bengal reported 2.67% death rate.

The senior official of the government has added that lower fatality rate in the country is definitely a silver lining but the government has to ensure that critical patients are brought to the hospital within 24 hours of detection of infection to reduce the mortality rate even more in the high risk states.

In the above states with high mortality rates, patients are being brought to the hospital late and the surveillance on the patients is very weak and the ability to identify and isolate infected COVID-19 cases has been below the mark.

He also said that states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Odisha are being closely monitored and these states have recorded the fatality rate below the national average.

The credit also goes to the respective state governments as they have re-issued lockdowns in the high risk areas either partially or completely and this has helped the spreading of the virus.

By Gayatri Yellayi