Lockdown prevented up to 29 lakh Covid-19 cases: Vardhan

New Delhi : Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday told the Lok Sabha that the nationwide lockdown had helped prevent up to 29 lakh coronavirus cases and 78,000 deaths in the country.

"The nationwide lockdown, a bold decision by the government, is testimony to the fact that India collectively stood up to manage Covid-19. It has been estimated that this decision prevented 14-29 lakh cases and 37,000 to 78,000 deaths," Vardhan said.

The four months of the lockdown were used to create additional health infrastructure, strengthen human resources, and produce critical elements like PPE, masks and ventilators in India, he said, adding that India is self-sufficient now in these things.

Recording a spike of 92,071 corona cases and 1,136 deaths in the last 24 hours, India's tally on Monday crossed the 4.8 million-mark with a total of 48,46,427 cases. Of the total, 9,86,595 are active cases, 37,80,107 patients cured and discharged, whereas 79,722 persons lost the battle against the viral disease. In the last 24 hours, 77,512 patients were discharged.

Harsh Vardhan added: "The maximum corona cases and deaths have been primarily reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha, Assam, Kerala, and Gujarat."

Allying public fears, he said that 92 per cent of coronavirus cases in India had reported mild symptoms. Oxygen was required to be given to the patients in only 5.8 per cent cases, and critical care in 1.7 per cent cases.