COVID-19 nationwide tally nears 60,000; Health Ministry says 'learn to live with virus'

Amid a continuing rise in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19, the Union Health Ministry on Friday said people should "learn to live with the virus" while the nationwide tally of confirmed infections was seen fast approaching 60,000 and the death toll crossed 1,900.

The ministry also reeled off various datasets, including those showing a rising number of infection-free districts and an increasing recovery rate, to suggest success of the government's strategy in the COVID-19 fight, even as it sought "a behavioural change" and everyone's support in this massive challenge.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, however, admitted there has been no success yet in breaking the virus chain and said his government may seek deployment of central forces, if needed, to allow police to take rest in phases.

The state, which already tops the nationwide tally, reported 1,089 new cases of confirmed infection and 37 more fatalities on Friday. It now has 19,063 positive cases while the death toll has risen to 731, a health department official said.

Mumbai alone saw its tally of COVID-19 patients growing to 11,967 with 748 new cases, while its death toll has reached 462 with 25 more fatalities. The state's Health Minister Rajesh Tope said Mumbai should see a sharp decline in cases in the next 15-20 days.

Large numbers of new cases were also reported from Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, while Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha also recorded higher tallies. Kerala and Himachal Pradesh reported only one fresh positive case each.

Concerns over the huge economic cost of the COVID-19 fight and the ongoing lockdown also appeared growing with Moody's Investors Service projecting India's economic growth at zero per cent for the current fiscal. It also said that a high government debt, weak social and physical infrastructure, and a fragile financial sector face further pressures due to the coronavirus outbreak.

According to experts, industrial and other business establishments may face a huge labour shortage once they resume operations after the lockdown, which has been in place since March 25 and is scheduled to continue till May 17. Lakhs of migrant workers have either left for their native places or are in the process of doing so, including by trains and buses arranged by central and state governments.

There are also worries that the virus spread may grow further in newer areas following these movements, while a large number of Indians stranded abroad have also begun returning home in special flights.

During a press briefing on the COVID-19 situation, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said, "As we talk of relaxations to the lockdown and of migrant workers returning back to their respective homes, there is a big challenge in front of us that we also have to learn to live with the virus."