NEW DELHI, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The recovery rate of COVID-19 patients Friday increased to nearly 30 percent, India's federal health ministry said.
"Till now, 16,540 patients have been cured and 37,916 patients are under active medical supervision," said Lav Agrawal, joint secretary of the health ministry during daily press briefing on coronavirus. "The recovery percentage is now 29.36 percent."
Agrawal said 1,273 people cured and 3,390 new cases reported during the last 24 hours. The total number of COVID-19 cases in India on Friday reached 56,342 and the death toll rose to 1,886.
"We can see there is an increase in the number of cured cases, which is positive news," he said.
The doubling of COVID-19 cases, however, in the country has come down to 10.2 from 12 days. The fall in the doubling rate of the disease could be attributed to the rapid increase of cases in several states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi among others.
"Two days ago, the doubling rate was 12 which has now come down to 10.2 in the country. This clearly indicates that cases have increased rapidly in the country," Agarwal said.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by India's Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday said 30 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the border guards.
"Thirty New cases of COVID-19 positive BSF personnel (06 from Delhi and 24 from Tripura) have been reported from different establishments. All of them are under the best available medical care at AIIMS Jhajjar and at G B Pant Hospital, Agartala," the statement said.
So far, two BSF personnel have died of the COVID-19. Enditem
