COVID-19 deaths in India much lower than many big countries: PM Modi

New Delhi: India is in a much better position than other countries in the fight against COVID-19 as a result of “right decisions taken at the right time”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, asserting that the country has expanded its health infrastructure at a rapid pace.

Speaking after virtually launching COVID-19 testing facilities in Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata, Modi said that in the fight against coronavirus, India has come to a point where it does not lack in awareness, its scientific data is expanding and resources are also increasing.

Due to the ‘right decisions taken at the right time’ in the country, India is in a much better position than other countries in the fight against the pandemic, he said.

The deaths due to the coronavirus in India are much lower than many big countries, the prime minister said.

Modi also pointed to the rapid pace of health infrastructure development, from testing labs, personal protection equipment to COVID facilities.

“In January, where we had only one centre for COVID-19 testing, now there are about 1,300 labs operating in the country,” he said.

The new testing facilities will give West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh more strength to fight COVID-19, Modi said.

The three high-tech testing facilities have been set up strategically at ICMR institutions – National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research in Noida, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health in Mumbai and National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata.

These will be able to test over 10,000 samples in a day, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office had said.

These labs will also reduce turnaround time and exposure of lab personnel to infectious clinical materials.

The labs are enabled to test diseases other than COVID-19 as well, and post the pandemic, will be able to test for Hepatitis B and C, HIV, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, cytomegalovirus, chlamydia, Neisseria and dengue.