India has effectively taken over China in terms of overall positive COVID-19 cases reported from across the country. The latest data released by the health ministry revealed that the total number of positive coronavirus cases in India had exceeded 81,000. This also included 27,919 patients, who had been cured and discharged from hospitals. As of 15 May, the COVID-19 death toll in India had reached 2,649. Maharashtra has continued to remain the worst-hit state with 1019 deaths, while Gujarat has reported 586 deaths.
Madhya Pradesh has reported 237 deaths, West Bengal 215, Rajasthan 126, Delhi 115, Uttar Pradesh 88 and Andhra Pradesh 48.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has lashed out at the Centre’s Narendra Modi government for the failure of the nationwide lockdown. Gandhi shared a screenshot of an old prediction by the central government claiming that the nationwide lockdown will result in zero new cases of coronavirus by 16 May.
He tweeted, “The geniuses at Niti Aayog have done it again. I’d like to remind you of their graph predicting the Govt’s national lockdown strategy would ensure no fresh Covid cases from tomorrow, May the 16th.”
The geniuses at Niti Aayog have done it again.
I’d like to remind you of their graph predicting the Govt’s national lockdown strategy would ensure no fresh Covid cases from tomorrow, May the 16th. pic.twitter.com/zFDJtI9IXP
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 15, 2020
India has been under a prolonged period of a nationwide lockdown since 25 March. The third stage of the lockdown ends tomorrow, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced that the ‘Lockdown 4’ will be in a new shape and form with new rules.
Many experts have criticised the government’s decision to continue with what appears to be an indefinite cycle of lockdown despite its inability to control the spread of the deadly virus. Demands are now growing for the lockdown to end.
Many including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Joint Secretary in the health ministry of the central government, Lav Agarwal, have said that India must now learn to live with coronavirus.
This came amidst British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing that the world may never find the vaccine for coronavirus.