Even as India continues to set global records with its COVID-19 caseload and death toll, experts are now looking into the possibility of a third wave of the deadly virus emerging in the months to come. Aided by the SUTRA (Susceptible, Undetected, Tested (positive) and Removed Approach) model, top government officials also contend that the existing wave will subside by July.
In an interaction with India Today, the three-member panel set up by the Centre's Department of Science and Technology contended that my the end of May, India would be recording around 1.5 lakh cases per day. By the end of June, they say, this number would come down to around 20,000 cases daily.
Having risen sharply to global highs of well above four lakh cases per day, India's case tally on Thursday hovered around 2.76 lakh cases. Even as the case tally falls however, the death toll continues to remain higher than seen in previous months.
“States like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Kerala, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Haryana besides Delhi and Goa have already seen their peak,” the article quoted panel member Professor Manindra Agarwal from IIT Kanpur as saying.
While they say that a third wave can be expected in six to eight months, the impact may be lessened by the ongoing vaccination drive. This third wave, Professor Agarwal contended, would not occur before October 2021.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the strategy to deal with COVID-19 should be dynamic, innovative and constantly upgraded as he underlined the dangers posed by the virus which, he noted, is invisible and often mutates. Describing the virus as "dhoort" and "bahurupia" in Hindi, Modi in an interaction with district magistrates (DM) and field officials also underlined concerns expressed in various quarters about the threats it poses to the youth and children.
(With inputs from agencies)
