Covid-19 Factoid: India's recovery rate improving, but active cases a worry

Punjab has seen a phenomenal V-shaped recovery since its peak of early May, with daily new case additions consistently below 50 and only 10% of all cases active

The count of confirmed coronavirus cases globally is now over 6.2 million, and death toll at 374,327. Over 45 per cent of all reported cases have managed to beat the infection and recover fully. Among closed cases, one in every 10 confirmed cases ends up as a fatality. 

India’s confirmed cases have grown to over 190,000, the seventh-highest in the world. As many as 5,394 patients have succumbed to the infection, while 91,819 have been cured and discharged. India has been beating its record of the highest single-day spike for five straight days now. On May 31, there were 8,392 confirmed cases reported in 24 hours. 

Here are some graphs on the extent of the spread: 

1. India becomes fourth-most-affected country by active Covid-19 cases 

With more than 92,000 cases, India now has the fourth-highest number of active cases in the world. The first spot is still held by the US, which has more than 1.1 million active cases. In the past two months, Brazil and Russia, both with over 200,000 cases at present, have quickly surpassed Italy and Spain in active cases.

2. India is witnessing a significant improvement in recovery rate 

Even as the number of active cases rises, the ratio of death and recovery among the outcome of closed cases is improving slowly. Until mid-April, two out of 10 closed cases were resulted in deaths. By the end of May, this came down to roughly 10 per cent, or one in every 10 closed cases. However, things are still worrisome, with India continuing to register more than 200 deaths every 24 hours for three consecutive days now.

3. A sharp ‘V’ shape recovery in Punjab 

Punjab seems to have had a decisive victory against the virus, with the state showing a sharp V-shaped recovery since its peak of early May. From the beginning of the outbreak until April-end, the state saw fewer than 50 daily new cases. But then there was a sharp rise of 415 cases in a single day on May 2. Since then, daily new additions have again dropped to sub-50 levels. Of the 2,263 confirmed cases in Punjab, only 10 per cent are active now. The state has seen 45 people dying because of Covid-19 so far.