Actual Covid Cases In India Are 17 Times Higher Than Reported: BHU
The COVID-19 virus infection, which severely harmed patients’ lungs and caused breathing problems and, in some cases, organ failure, struck the world in 2019.
The Delta COVID strain caused widespread death and destruction in India. This strain sparked a devastating secondary wave across the country in 2021. Numerous deaths and infections were brought on by the Delta COVID version.
According to a study conducted by researchers at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), there may be 17 times as many Covid-19 cases in India as the official estimate of 4.5 crores, including unreported and asymptomatic cases. Published recently in the prestigious academic journal International Journal of Infectious Diseases, the study’s findings were the result of the efforts of 88 researchers from 34 institutions spread across the country (IJID).
Prof. Gyaneshwer Chaubey, a geneticist at BHU and a member of the Institute of Science’s Department of Zoology, oversaw the study. In a serological survey (also called an antibody test) conducted between September 2020 and December 2020, the research team analysed data from 2,301 residents in urban regions in 14 districts spread across six states.
The age group 26-35 had the highest percentage of asymptomatic individuals, according to Prof. Chaubey, making this study’s finding that a significant segment of the Indian population was asymptomatic for covid-19 the most startling. The researchers proposed that an antibody test administered to individuals following any COVID wave provides an accurate assessment of the illness.
Since street vendors in metropolitan areas from 14 Indian districts were most at risk for coronavirus infection, the researchers conducted this investigation among a sizable population using the same methodology. Only individuals who self-reported never experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or a positive RT-PCR test had their samples collected.
The percentage of antibody-positive people was determined to be the lowest in Raipur, which is located in Chhattisgarh; it was just two per cent. On the other hand, the highest percentage of antibody-positive people was discovered in Ghazipur, which is located in Uttar Pradesh; it was forty-seven per cent.
The analysis suggests that the difference between the recorded number of infections and the really probable diseases may be due to a significant percentage of asymptomatic instances that have never been registered. To reach an evaluation, the study used mathematical modelling. Prof. Chaubey advised caution when evaluating value because of the study’s poor geographic coverage.
According to information made public by the Indian government, the coronavirus has so far infected close to 4.5 crore people in the nation. However, a separate estimate from the study found in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID) suggested that the real number of cases in the nation may range from 58 to 98 crores.
India registers 109 new cases of COVID.
According to data released on Thursday by the union health ministry, India has recorded 109 new instances of covid in the past day, bringing the total number of active cases down to 1,781. Since the start of the covid epidemic, there have been 530,748 covid-related deaths and 4.47 crore covid cases overall.
There has been a consistent nationwide drop in the number of reported covid cases over the past few weeks, with a 0.08% positive rate being recorded on a daily and weekly basis. 1218 new cases have been reported in Kerala, whereas only 108 have been found in Karnataka. Maharashtra has 83 cases, Odisha has 88, Rajasthan has 10, Tamil Nadu has 36, Uttar Pradesh has 16, and West Bengal has 43.
Current recovery rates place the number of people who have overcome the illness at around 4,41,51,219. Because a substantial number of persons in India have already been exposed to the virus and immunised against it as a result of the rapid decline in the trajectory of covid infections, scientists are predicting that Omicron and its sub-lineages will not have an effect on the country.
According to the findings of certain researchers, the Indians have developed a novel type of immunity (due to vaccination and natural infection). However, they suggest using face masks in crowded places and completing all of your vaccinations. Due to the increasing number of reported cases in China and elsewhere, the government has increased covid preparedness efforts.
INSACOG is overseen by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and the government has given it the go-ahead to continue undertaking continuing genome sequencing in order to seek any novel variants while also keeping a close check on the country’s covid status.
The government requires passengers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea to fill out ‘Air Suvidha’ forms 72 hours before their departure and conducts RT-PCR testing on persons who have just returned from those countries. Additionally, the government requires RT-PCR testing of those who have just returned from South Korea.
Over 1,41,248 tests have been conducted in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of covid tests conducted across the country to 91.67 crores. To date, the total number of vaccine doses distributed for the purpose of preventing the spread of COVID across the country exceeds 220.61 billion. About 1,13,507 doses of vaccine were administered within the past 24 hours. Furthermore, hospital-level surveillance is being carried out to record cases of influenza-like sickness (lLl) and SARI.
Edited by Prakriti Arora
