Covid-19: Why ignorance might be dangerous at this point
Looking at the laxity in following Covid-19 protocols and dissapearing of face masks, it seems we are not too far from another coronavirus wave. The last time all of us took Covid-19 as a goner was in February 2021. And within a month, the second deadly wave of Covid struck us. In April 2021, the daily active cases were as high as 5 lakh a day. Crematoriums and cemeteries were full of dead bodies.
According to the Civil Registration System (CRS) data, in 2020, 1.48 lakh people died in India due to Covid, while in 2021, 3.32 lakh people died.
So, are we on the brink of another wave? Well, if we look at the rise in Covid numbers in India in the last couple of weeks, we are not too far from it.
In the past 24 hours, India has reported 3,205 Covid cases and 31 fatalities, data from Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare showed. The number of cases reported was 24.8% higher than yesterday.
Delhi and Uttar Pradesh (UP) continue to lead the number of new cases. While Delhi reported 1,414 new cases and 1 death in 24 hours, UP reported 331 cases. Haryana reported 505, Maharashtra 182 and Kerala reported 296 cases.
Daily positivity rate in Delhi was reported at 0.98%.
Amid the rising cases in Delhi, the Delhi government has increased number of Covid beds at Lok Nayak (LNJP) hospital and Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) hospital. As per an order released on April 25, the number of beds at LNJP has been increased from 250 to 450, while the number of ICU beds have also been increased from 100 to 178.
At the GTB hospital, the number of beds for Covid patients has been increased from 100 to 400. Plus, 50 ICU rooms have also been added.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, in a press conference today said, that the number of hospitalisations is still very low and the Covid situation in the city is not so serious at present, PTI reported.
He said that the government is monitoring the situation and the current scenario doesn’t require any restrictions. “We have reserved 10,000 beds in hospitals for Covid cases, but less than 200 of those are occupied. The situation is not serious at present,” he said.
The total number of Covid cases in India stands at 4,30,88,118. India’s active case load stands at 19,509 and the recovery rate is at 98.74%.
WILL INDIA FACE ANOTHER COVID WAVE?
As per an IIT Kanpur study done by independent researchers, the fourth wave in India might strike India around June 22, peak on August 23 and end on October 24. The study also said that the the fourth wave will continue for four months.
The same research team had also predicted that the third wave will peak by February 3.
VACCINATION, THE ONLY WAY OUT
The IIT researchers have admitted that the effect of vaccination – first, second or the booster dose may play a significant role in the possibility of infection, degree of infection and various issues related to the fourth wave.
86.2 crore people have been fully vaccinated in India. This makes up to 62.5% of the total population of the country. Also, according to the data by Ministry of Health, over 2.95 crore children between the age of 12-14 have been administered the first dose of Covid vaccination.
“Though the chances of severity in Covid cases in India is less in children, vaccination is important in combatting the fourth wave,” Dr Mrudula Phadke, senior advisor to the government of Maharashtra and UNICEF on child health said.
She added that if people do not go for vaccination, the virus might get an opportunity to multiply, mutate, and escape the immune mechanism, resulting in a fourth wave.
So, it’s imperative for all of us to wear masks, get vaccinated and adhere to Covid guidelines to prevent another surge of infection.