India registered 2.86 lakh new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, while 573 people died due to the infection. On January 26, 665 people died as the Omicron variant led the third wave in the country. This was also the highest number of deaths recorded in a single day.
At the moment many are asking why the number of Covid-19 cases is decreasing while the Coronavirus-related deaths are on the rise in India.
Since the death rate increased due to the delta variant during the second wave, the question is whether the increase in deaths is a sign of danger. What could be the cause behind the surging Covid-19 mortality rate?
Dr Saurabh Varshney, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Deoghar, responds to these questions. He says that it is simple to guess just by looking at the figures of the reduced Covid-19 cases and increased Covid-19 deaths for the first time. “While it may appear that the new Omicron variant is becoming more dangerous owing to an increase in death rates, this is not the case,” he said.
There is also a difference between the deaths caused by the second wave of Coronavirus and those caused by the third wave, the doctor added.
When it comes to Coronavirus cases, according to Dr Varshney, there is an infection rate and a recovery rate. In India’s third wave of Covid-19, the recovery rate appears to be much higher than the infection rate.
About 94-95 percent of the coronavirus-infected patients are recovering without becoming seriously ill or requiring hospitalisation.
However, what is concerning is that 60-70 percent of Omicron patients are asymptomatic. These individuals are completely unaware that they are infected with the virus and are spreading the infection to others.
Dr Saurabh also said that while many of the Omicron infected individuals are asymptomatic, they are still counted in Covid-19 related deaths even if they die due to other serious illnesses according to the guidelines. This is the primary reason behind a spike in Covid-19 deaths in India at present
(Disclaimer: The health tips shared in this article are based on common practices and general knowledge. Readers are advised to consult a doctor before following them at home.)
