New Delhi: Focusing on the ‘test, track and treat’ strategy, India has tested more than eight lakh samples for COVID-19 for the second consecutive day in a row. The new tests took the cumulative total to 3,17,42,782 so far, the Union Health Ministry said Wednesday. The Health Ministry stated that the resolve is to conduct 10 lakh tests every day. It said 8,01,518 samples were tested in a span of 24 hours Tuesday.
“The cumulative testing as on date has reached 3,17,42,782. The Tests Per Million too have seen a sharp rise to 23,002,” the Health Ministry said.
The total recoveries from COVID-19 have surged to 20,37,870 in India, pushing the recovery rate to 73.64 per cent, according to the Health Ministry data updated at 8.00am.
“It is only by aggressive testing positive cases will be identified. Their contacts can be tracked also and isolated. Also testing can ensure prompt treatment through timely medical care.
“The sustained level of high testing has played a key role in India’s increasing rate of recovery. It has widened gap between the recovered and active cases, and also progressively declining fatality rate,” the Health Ministry said.
India followed the track of a graded and evolving strategy, steadily strengthening its nationwide network of labs in the public and private sectors. India started with one COVID-19 testing lab in January 2020. Presently there are 1,486 labs in India, with 975 labs in the government sector and 511 in the private sector.
With 64,531 people testing positive in a day, India’s COVID-19 tally increased to 27,67,273. The death toll climbed to 52,889 with 1,092 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the ministry informed.