Covid-19 Factoid: Death toll in India is doubling at same rate as in the US

Even as the number of daily fatalities globally fell for 3 straight days and the US epicentre of New York on April 18 saw only 23 new cases, New Jersey reported more than 3,000 on the same day

The global tally of coronavirus infections has gone past 2.4 million, and the death toll stands at 166,000. A little more than 600,000 people have now recovered from the infection. The United States, the worst affected country, accounts for more than 30 per cent of all reported cases globally. It is followed by Italy and Spain with less than 10 per cent cases apiece.

In India, the total number of confirmed cases has now topped 17,000, with the current death toll at 559. With 2,854 recoveries, a little more than 16 per cent of all infected people have managed to beat the virus.

Here are a few data trends to help you understand the present pandemic situation:

1. Daily fatalities fall for three days in a row

The number of fatalities reported daily has come down significantly from its peak of 10,761 on April 14. For the past three days, there has been a progressive decline in the number of deaths. However, it is too early to predict that the curve has flattened. The US still has the highest number of deaths, at just a little under the combined total of the next two countries – Italy and Spain.

2. Covid-19 deaths in India doubling at the same rate as in the US

The time taken for death toll to double in India is below the world average of 12. Worryingly, the metric for India is the same as that in the US, at 9. Italy and Spain, with the second- and third-highest fatalities, took 20 and 17 days before their respective fatality figures doubled.

3. The two Covid-19 epicentres in the US

The two neighbouring states of New York and New Jersey together account for more than two-fifths of all confirmed cases in the US. While New York seems to have neared its peak, New Jersey is now seeing a rapid surge in the number of confirmed coronavirus infections. It reported more than 3,000 cases on April 18, while New York saw just 23. The US has been the most affected country in this pandemic, both by number of cases and deaths.

4. Gujarat witnessing a sharp spike in the number of daily new cases

At over 1,800, Gujarat has the third-highest number of confirmed coronavirus infections in India at present, the first two being Maharashtra and Delhi. The single-day increase of 332 cases on April 19 was the steepest spike for the state so far. Fewer than 10 per cent cases in the state have recovered till now.