Combating COVID-19: India still under 'local transmission' phase, says Health Ministry

India is currently in the 'local transmission stage' phase of COVID-19 and if it reaches the stage of 'community transmission, then we will admit it," clarified the Health Ministry on Monday.

When asked by ANI reporter about the report that 'limited community transmission' has begun in India, Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health, said: "Technically, we are under the local transmission phase. We have used a word in a very 'limited context' to highlight that what we are going to do -- an action in the field. In no way, we are saying it is a 'community transmission' as it is a local transmission in the country."

"We will be the first one to admit and come back to you to explain that yes there is a community transmission in the country to increase the level of alertness and management in the field way," he said.

He further appealed not to use the word 'community transmission' for COVID-19 in India.

"Kindly allow us to use the word community as when we think we need it. But it is not put in the context in which you are trying to put it," he said during a press conference here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease.