India not in community transmission phase, recovery rate is 49.21%: Health Ministry

India's total number of coronavirus cases has jumped to 290,481, and death toll to 8,143, in the country's biggest-ever spike in the number of cases and deaths in a single day.

There is no community transmission of Covid-19 at the national level, while the lockdown measures helped in controlling the spread of the deadly virus until now, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Balram Bhargava said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said that the recovery rate in the country is 49.21%. he said the number of patients recovered at present exceeds the number of active patients in the country.

“We found that about 0.73% of the population in these 15 districts showed a prevalence of past exposure to infection. It means that lockdown measures were successful in keeping it low and preventing rapid spread,” Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR, said in the press meet.

“There is a heightened debate on community transmission. WHO has not given definition on it. India is such a large country and the prevalence is so low. The prevalence is less than one per cent in small districts. It is slightly higher in urban areas. In the containment areas, it may be slightly higher. But, we are definite that India is not in community transmission,” Bhargava said at the daily press briefing.

(With inputs from agencies)