Without lockdown & containment coronavirus could have infected 8.2 lakh people: Govt

April 11: The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic has spread across 185 countries and territories. Saturday was the 18th day of India’s 21-day lockdown. Reports suggest that the lockdown could be extended. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India stands at 7,529, including 242 deaths. The highly infectious coronavirus has killed 242 people in the country. The total number of positive coronavirus cases on Saturday was 7,529.

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said the number of coronavirus cases in India would have shot up to 8.2 lakh by April 15 had the centre not enforced a nationwide lockdown and other containment measures. Health Ministry official Lav Agarwal said in his daily briefing, “According to a statistical analysis by us, India would have registered a 41 per cent cumulative rise in the number of cases, taking the total to 2.08 lakh on April 11 and 8.2 lakh by April 15 had there been no lockdown or other containment measures.”

The officer also credited social distancing rules implemented by the centre across the country for the comparatively low coronavirus numbers. The government, however, clarified that this is a statistical analysis and not a study conducted by ICMR.