We have to learn to live with the virus: Health Ministry

New Delhi:  With the number of coronavirus cases in the country climbing to 56,342 on Friday, the Union Health Ministry said that "we have to learn to live with the virus" and that "it is a difficult battle, we need everyone's cooperation".

Addressing mediapersons, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary at the Health Ministry, said, "We have to learn to live with the virus. We need to introduce certain behavioural changes to implement these (social distancing) practices."

The response from the Health Ministry came after a sudden spurt in the number positive cases in the past few days when the tally crossed the 3,000-mark each day.

"A total of 3,390 new cases and 103 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours till 8 a.m. on Friday," Agarwal said.

Responding to a query over AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria's recent comment that Covid-10 cases will peak in India in June-July, Agarwal said, "If we follow the required dos and don'ts, we may not reach the peak in number of cases and our curve may continue to remain flat."

According to the Health Ministry, 16,540 Covid-19 patients, which is about 29.36 per cent of the total cases, have recovered so far, while in the past 24 hours, 1,273 people have been cured.

The total number of confirmed cases in India is 56,342. Out of this, 37,916 are active cases while 1,886 people have succumbed to the dreaded virus so far.

"In 216 districts, no positive case has been detected. In 42 districts. no new case has been detected in the last 28 days, while 29 districts have not reported any case in the last 21 days," the Health Ministry said.

It added that 3.2 per cent of the total active cases are on oxygen support, 4.2 per cent in ICUs and 1.1 per cent on ventilator support.