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COVID-19 pandemic in India

The COVID-19 pandemic in India is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of 6 December 2023, according to Indian government figures, India has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the world (after the United States of America) with 45,001,764[4] reported cases of COVID-19 infection and the third-highest number of COVID-19 deaths (after the United States and Brazil) at 533,298[4] deaths.[6][7] In October 2021, the World Health Organization estimated 4.7 million excess deaths, both directly and indirectly related to COVID-19 to have taken place in India.[8][9]

COVID-19 pandemic in India
COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people by state, as of 18 May 2021
Map of confirmed cases
Map of confirmed cases
Map of active cases
Map of active cases
Map of confirmed deaths
Map of deaths due to the pandemic
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationIndia
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China[1]
Index caseThrissur, Kerala[2]
10°31′39″N 76°12′52″E / 10.5276°N 76.2144°E / 10.5276; 76.2144
Date30 January 2020; 3 years ago (30 January 2020) – ongoing
(3 years, 10 months and 6 days)[3]
Confirmed cases45,001,764[4]
Recovered42,604,881
Deaths
533,298[4]
Fatality rate1.19%
Territories
28 states and 8 union territories[5]
Vaccinations
  • 1,027,420,185[4] (total people vaccinated)
  • 951,987,002[4] (people fully vaccinated)
  • 2,206,750,581[4] (vaccine doses given)
Government website
www.mohfw.gov.in
www.mygov.in/covid-19

The first cases of COVID-19 in India were reported on 30 January 2020 in three towns of Kerala, among three Indian medical students who had returned from Wuhan, the epicenter of the pandemic.[10][11][12] Lockdowns were announced in Kerala on 23 March, and in the rest of the country on 25 March. Infection rates started to drop in September.[13] Daily cases peaked mid-September with over 90,000 cases reported per-day, dropping to below 15,000 in January 2021.[14] A second wave beginning in March 2021 was much more devastating than the first, with shortages of vaccines, hospital beds, oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies in parts of the country.[14] By late April, India led the world in new and active cases. On 30 April 2021, it became the first country to report over 400,000 new cases in a 24-hour period.[15][6] Experts stated that the virus may reach an endemic stage in India rather than completely disappear;[16] in late August 2021, Soumya Swaminathan said India may be in some stage of endemicity where the country learns to live with the virus.[17]

India began its vaccination programme on 16 January 2021 with AstraZeneca vaccine (Covishield) and the indigenous Covaxin.[18][19] Later, Sputnik V and the Moderna vaccine was approved for emergency use too.[20] On 30 January 2022, India announced that it administered about 1.7 billion doses of vaccines and more than 720 million people were fully vaccinated.[21]

Timeline

 


COVID-19 cases in India  ()
     Deaths        Recoveries        Active cases
Date
# of cases
# of deaths
2020-01-30 1(n.a.) 0(n.a.)
1(=)
2020-02-02 2(+100%) 0(n.a.)
2020-02-03 3(+50%) 0(n.a.)
3(=)
2020-02-21 3(=) 0(n.a.)
3(=)
2020-03-02 5(+67%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-03 6(+20%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-04 28(+367%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-05 30(+7.1%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-06 31(+3.3%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-07 34(+9.7%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-08 39(+15%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-09 44(+13%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-10 50(+14%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-11 60(+20%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-12 74(+23%) 1(n.a.)
2020-03-13 81(+9.5%) 2(+100%)
2020-03-14 84(+3.7%) 2(=)
2020-03-15 110(+31%) 2(=)
2020-03-16 114(+3.6%) 2(=)
2020-03-17 137(+20%) 3(+50%)
2020-03-18 151(+10%) 3(=)
2020-03-19 173(+15%) 4(+33%)
2020-03-20 223(+29%) 4(=)
2020-03-21 315(+41%) 4(=)
2020-03-22 360(+14%) 7(+75%)
2020-03-23 468(+30%) 9(+29%)
2020-03-24 519(+11%) 10(+11%)
2020-03-25 606(+17%) 10(=)
2020-03-26
694(+15%) 16(+60%)
2020-03-27
834(+20%) 19(+19%)
2020-03-28
918(+10%) 19(=)
2020-03-29
1,024(+12%) 27(+42%)
2020-03-30
1,251(+22%) 32(+19%)
2020-03-31
1,397(+12%) 35(+9.4%)
2020-04-01
1,834(+31%) 41(+17%)
2020-04-02
2,069(+13%) 53(+29%)
2020-04-03
2,547(+23%) 62(+17%)
2020-04-04
3,072(+21%) 75(+21%)
2020-04-05
3,577(+16%) 83(+11%)
2020-04-06
4,281(+20%) 111(+34%)
2020-04-07
4,789(+12%) 124(+12%)
2020-04-08
5,274(+10%) 149(+20%)
2020-04-09
5,865(+11%) 169(+13%)
2020-04-10
6,761(+15%) 206(+22%)
2020-04-11
7,529(+11%) 242(+17%)
2020-04-12
8,447(+12%) 273(+13%)
2020-04-13
9,352(+11%) 324(+19%)
2020-04-14
10,815(+16%) 353(+9%)
2020-04-15
11,933(+10%) 392(+11%)
2020-04-16
12,759(+6.9%) 420(+7.1%)
2020-04-17
13,835(+8.4%) 452(+7.6%)
2020-04-18
14,792(+6.9%) 488(+8%)
2020-04-19
16,116(+9%) 519(+6.4%)
2020-04-20
17,656(+9.6%) 559(+7.7%)
2020-04-21
18,985(+7.5%) 603(+7.9%)
2020-04-22
20,471(+7.8%) 652(+8.1%)
2020-04-23
21,700(+6%) 686(+5.2%)
2020-04-24
23,452(+8.1%) 723(+5.4%)
2020-04-25
24,942(+6.4%) 779(+7.7%)
2020-04-26
26,917(+7.9%) 826(+6%)
2020-04-27
28,380(+5.4%) 886(+7.3%)
2020-04-28
29,974(+5.6%) 937(+5.8%)
2020-04-29
31,787(+6%) 1,008(+7.6%)
2020-04-30
33,610(+5.7%) 1,075(+6.6%)
2020-05-01
35,365(+5.2%) 1,152(+7.2%)
2020-05-02
37,776(+6.8%) 1,223(+6.2%)
2020-05-03
40,263(+6.6%) 1,306(+6.8%)
2020-05-04
42,836(+6.4%) 1,389(+6.4%)
2020-05-05
46,711(+9%) 1,583(+14%)
2020-05-06
49,391(+5.7%) 1,694(+7%)
2020-05-07
52,952(+7.2%) 1,783(+5.3%)
2020-05-08
56,342(+6.4%) 1,886(+5.8%)
2020-05-09
59,662(+5.9%) 1,981(+5%)
2020-05-10
62,939(+5.5%) 2,109(+6.5%)
2020-05-11
67,152(+6.7%) 2,206(+4.6%)
2020-05-12
70,756(+5.4%) 2,293(+3.9%)
2020-05-13
74,281(+5%) 2,415(+5.3%)
2020-05-14
78,003(+5%) 2,549(+5.5%)
2020-05-15
81,970(+5.1%) 2,649(+3.9%)
2020-05-16
85,940(+4.8%) 2,752(+3.9%)
2020-05-17
90,927(+5.8%) 2,872(+4.4%)
2020-05-18
96,169(+5.8%) 3,029(+5.5%)
2020-05-19
101,139(+5.2%) 3,163(+4.4%)
2020-05-20
106,750(+5.5%) 3,303(+4.4%)
2020-05-21
112,359(+5.3%) 3,435(+4%)
2020-05-22
118,447(+5.4%) 3,583(+4.3%)
2020-05-23
125,101(+5.6%) 3,720(+3.8%)
2020-05-24
131,868(+5.4%) 3,867(+4%)
2020-05-25
138,845(+5.3%) 4,021(+4%)
2020-05-26
145,380(+4.7%) 4,167(+3.6%)
2020-05-27
151,767(+4.4%) 4,337(+4.1%)
2020-05-28
158,333(+4.3%) 4,531(+4.5%)
2020-05-29
165,799(+4.7%) 4,706(+3.9%)
2020-05-30
173,763(+4.8%) 4,971(+5.6%)
2020-05-31
182,143(+4.8%) 5,164(+3.9%)
2020-06-01
190,535(+4.6%) 5,394(+4.5%)
2020-06-02
198,706(+4.3%) 5,598(+3.8%)
2020-06-03
207,615(+4.5%) 5,815(+3.9%)
2020-06-04
216,919(+4.5%) 6,075(+4.5%)
2020-06-05
226,770(+4.5%) 6,348(+4.5%)
2020-06-06
236,657(+4.4%) 6,642(+4.6%)
2020-06-07
246,628(+4.2%) 6,929(+4.3%)
2020-06-08
256,611(+4%) 7,200(+3.9%)
2020-06-09
266,598(+3.9%) 7,471(+3.8%)
2020-06-10
276,583(+3.7%) 7,745(+3.7%)
2020-06-11
286,579(+3.6%) 8,102(+4.6%)
2020-06-12
297,535(+3.8%) 8,498(+4.9%)
2020-06-13
308,993(+3.9%) 8,884(+4.5%)
2020-06-14
320,922(+3.9%) 9,195(+3.5%)
2020-06-15
332,424(+3.6%) 9,520(+3.5%)
2020-06-16
343,091(+3.2%) 9,900(+4%)
2020-06-17
354,065(+3.2%) 11,903(+20%[i])
2020-06-18
366,946(+3.6%) 12,237(+2.8%)
2020-06-19
380,532(+3.7%) 12,573(+2.7%)
2020-06-20
395,048(+3.8%) 12,948(+3%)
2020-06-21
410,461(+3.9%) 13,254(+2.4%)
2020-06-22
425,282(+3.6%) 13,699(+3.4%)
2020-06-23
440,215(+3.5%) 14,011(+2.3%)
2020-06-24
456,183(+3.6%) 14,476(+3.3%)
2020-06-25
473,105(+3.7%) 14,894(+2.9%)
2020-06-26
490,401(+3.7%) 15,301(+2.7%)
2020-06-27
508,953(+3.8%) 15,685(+2.5%)
2020-06-28
528,859(+3.9%) 16,095(+2.6%)
2020-06-29
548,318(+3.7%) 16,475(+2.4%)
2020-06-30
566,840(+3.4%) 16,893(+2.5%)
2020-07-01
585,493(+3.3%) 17,400(+3%)
2020-07-02
604,641(+3.3%) 17,834(+2.5%)
2020-07-03
625,544(+3.5%) 18,213(+2.1%)
2020-07-04
648,315(+3.6%) 18,655(+2.4%)
2020-07-05
673,165(+3.8%) 19,268(+3.3%)
2020-07-06
697,413(+3.6%) 19,693(+2.2%)
2020-07-07
719,665(+3.2%) 20,160(+2.4%)
2020-07-08
742,417(+3.2%) 20,642(+2.4%)
2020-07-09
767,296(+3.4%) 21,129(+2.4%)
2020-07-10
793,802(+3.5%) 21,604(+2.2%)
2020-07-11
820,916(+3.4%) 22,123(+2.4%)
2020-07-12
849,553(+3.5%) 22,674(+2.5%)
2020-07-13
878,254(+3.4%) 23,174(+2.2%)
2020-07-14
906,752(+3.2%) 23,727(+2.4%)
2020-07-15
936,181(+3.2%) 24,309(+2.5%)
2020-07-16
968,876(+3.5%) 24,915(+2.5%)
2020-07-17
1,003,832(+3.6%) 25,602(+2.8%)
2020-07-18
1,038,716(+3.5%) 26,273(+2.6%)
2020-07-19
1,077,618(+3.7%) 26,816(+2.1%)
2020-07-20
1,118,043(+3.8%) 27,497(+2.5%)
2020-07-21
1,155,191(+3.3%) 28,084(+2.1%)
2020-07-22
1,192,915(+3.3%) 28,732(+2.3%)
2020-07-23
1,238,635(+3.8%) 29,861(+3.9%[ii])
2020-07-24
1,287,945(+4%) 30,601(+2.5%)
2020-07-25
1,336,861(+3.8%) 31,358(+2.5%)
2020-07-26
1,385,522(+3.6%) 32,063(+2.2%)
2020-07-27
1,435,453(+3.6%) 32,771(+2.2%)
2020-07-28
1,483,156(+3.3%) 33,425(+2%)
2020-07-29
1,531,669(+3.3%) 34,193(+2.3%)
2020-07-30
1,583,792(+3.4%) 34,968(+2.3%)
2020-07-31
1,638,870(+3.5%) 35,747(+2.2%)
2020-08-01
1,695,988(+3.5%) 36,511(+2.1%)
2020-08-02
1,750,723(+3.2%) 37,364(+2.3%)
2020-08-03
1,803,695(+3%) 38,135(+2.1%)
2020-08-04
1,855,745(+2.9%) 38,938(+2.1%)
2020-08-05
1,908,254(+2.8%) 39,795(+2.2%)
2020-08-06
1,964,536(+2.9%) 40,699(+2.3%)
2020-08-07
2,027,074(+3.2%) 41,585(+2.2%)
2020-08-08
2,088,611(+3%) 42,518(+2.2%)
2020-08-09
2,153,010(+3.1%) 43,379(+2%)
2020-08-10
2,215,074(+2.9%) 44,386(+2.3%)
2020-08-11
2,268,675(+2.4%) 45,257(+2%)
2020-08-12
2,329,638(+2.7%) 46,091(+1.8%)
2020-08-13
2,396,637(+2.9%) 47,033(+2%)
2020-08-14
2,461,190(+2.7%) 48,040(+2.1%)
2020-08-15
2,526,192(+2.6%) 49,036(+2.1%)
2020-08-16
2,589,682(+2.5%) 49,980(+1.9%)
2020-08-17
2,647,663(+2.2%) 50,921(+1.9%)
2020-08-18
2,702,742(+2.1%) 51,797(+1.7%)
2020-08-19
2,767,273(+2.4%) 52,889(+2.1%)
2020-08-20
2,836,925(+2.5%) 53,866(+1.8%)
2020-08-21
2,905,823(+2.4%) 54,849(+1.8%)
2020-08-22
2,975,701(+2.4%) 55,794(+1.7%)
2020-08-23
3,044,940(+2.3%) 56,706(+1.6%)
2020-08-24
3,106,348(+2%) 57,542(+1.5%)
2020-08-25
3,167,323(+2%) 58,390(+1.5%)
2020-08-26
3,234,474(+2.1%) 59,449(+1.8%)
2020-08-27
3,310,234(+2.3%) 60,472(+1.7%)
2020-08-28
3,387,500(+2.3%) 61,529(+1.7%)
2020-08-29
3,463,972(+2.3%) 62,550(+1.7%)
2020-08-30
3,542,733(+2.3%) 63,498(+1.5%)
2020-08-31
3,621,245(+2.2%) 64,469(+1.5%)
2020-09-01
3,691,166(+1.9%) 65,288(+1.3%)
2020-09-02
3,769,523(+2.1%) 66,333(+1.6%)
2020-09-03
3,853,406(+2.2%) 67,376(+1.6%)
2020-09-04
3,936,747(+2.2%) 68,472(+1.6%)
2020-09-05
4,023,179(+2.2%) 69,561(+1.6%)
2020-09-06
4,113,811(+2.3%) 70,626(+1.5%)
2020-09-07
4,204,613(+2.2%) 71,642(+1.4%)
2020-09-08
4,280,422(+1.8%) 72,775(+1.6%)
2020-09-09
4,370,128(+2.1%) 73,890(+1.5%)
2020-09-10
4,465,863(+2.2%) 75,062(+1.6%)
2020-09-11
4,562,414(+2.2%) 76,271(+1.6%)
2020-09-12
4,659,984(+2.1%) 77,472(+1.6%)
2020-09-13
4,754,356(+2%) 78,586(+1.4%)
2020-09-14
4,846,427(+1.9%) 79,722(+1.4%)
2020-09-15
4,930,236(+1.7%) 80,776(+1.3%)
2020-09-16
5,020,359(+1.8%) 82,066(+1.6%)
2020-09-17
5,118,253(+1.9%) 83,198(+1.4%)
2020-09-18
5,214,677(+1.9%) 84,372(+1.4%)
2020-09-19
5,308,014(+1.8%) 85,619(+1.5%)
2020-09-20
5,400,619(+1.7%) 86,752(+1.3%)
2020-09-21
5,487,580(+1.6%) 87,882(+1.3%)
2020-09-22
5,562,663(+1.4%) 88,935(+1.2%)
2020-09-23
5,646,010(+1.5%) 90,020(+1.2%)
2020-09-24
5,732,518(+1.5%) 91,149(+1.3%)
2020-09-25
5,818,570(+1.5%) 92,290(+1.3%)
2020-09-26
5,903,932(+1.5%) 93,379(+1.2%)
2020-09-27
5,992,532(+1.5%) 94,503(+1.2%)
2020-09-28
6,074,702(+1.4%) 95,542(+1.1%)
2020-09-29
6,145,291(+1.2%) 96,318(+0.81%)
2020-09-30
6,225,763(+1.3%) 97,497(+1.2%)
2020-10-01
6,312,584(+1.4%) 98,678(+1.2%)
2020-10-02
6,394,068(+1.3%) 99,773(+1.1%)
2020-10-03
6,473,544(+1.2%) 100,842(+1.1%)
2020-10-04
6,549,373(+1.2%) 101,782(+0.93%)
2020-10-05
6,623,815(+1.1%) 102,685(+0.89%)
2020-10-06
6,685,082(+0.92%) 103,569(+0.86%)
2020-10-07
6,757,131(+1.1%) 104,555(+0.95%)
2020-10-08
6,835,655(+1.2%) 105,526(+0.93%)
2020-10-09
6,906,151(+1%) 106,490(+0.91%)
2020-10-10
6,979,423(+1.1%) 107,416(+0.87%)
2020-10-11
7,053,806(+1.1%) 108,334(+0.85%)
2020-10-12
7,120,538(+0.95%) 109,150(+0.75%)
2020-10-13
7,175,880(+0.78%) 109,856(+0.65%)
2020-10-14
7,239,389(+0.89%) 110,586(+0.66%)
2020-10-15
7,307,097(+0.94%) 111,266(+0.61%)
2020-10-16
7,370,468(+0.87%) 112,161(+0.8%)
2020-10-17
7,432,680(+0.84%) 112,998(+0.75%)
2020-10-18
7,494,551(+0.83%) 114,031(+0.91%)
2020-10-19
7,550,273(+0.74%) 114,610(+0.51%)
2020-10-20
7,597,063(+0.62%) 115,197(+0.51%)
2020-10-21
7,651,107(+0.71%) 115,914(+0.62%)
2020-10-22
7,706,946(+0.73%) 116,616(+0.61%)
2020-10-23
7,761,312(+0.71%) 117,306(+0.59%)
2020-10-24
7,814,682(+0.69%) 117,956(+0.55%)
2020-10-25
7,864,811(+0.64%) 118,534(+0.49%)
2020-10-26
7,909,959(+0.57%) 119,014(+0.4%)
2020-10-27
7,946,429(+0.46%) 119,502(+0.41%)
2020-10-28
7,990,322(+0.55%) 120,010(+0.43%)
2020-10-29
8,040,203(+0.62%) 120,527(+0.43%)
2020-10-30
8,088,851(+0.61%) 121,090(+0.47%)
2020-10-31
8,137,119(+0.6%) 121,641(+0.46%)
2020-11-01
8,184,082(+0.58%) 122,111(+0.39%)
2020-11-02
8,229,313(+0.55%) 122,607(+0.41%)
2020-11-03
8,267,623(+0.47%) 123,097(+0.4%)
2020-11-04
8,313,876(+0.56%) 123,611(+0.42%)
2020-11-05
8,364,086(+0.6%) 124,315(+0.57%)
2020-11-06
8,411,724(+0.57%) 124,985(+0.54%)
2020-11-07
8,462,080(+0.6%) 125,562(+0.46%)
2020-11-08
8,507,754(+0.54%) 126,121(+0.45%)
2020-11-09
8,553,657(+0.54%) 126,611(+0.39%)
2020-11-10
8,591,730(+0.45%) 127,059(+0.35%)
2020-11-11
8,636,011(+0.52%) 127,571(+0.4%)
2020-11-12
8,683,916(+0.55%) 128,121(+0.43%)
2020-11-13
8,728,795(+0.52%) 128,668(+0.43%)
2020-11-14
8,773,479(+0.51%) 129,188(+0.4%)
2020-11-15
8,814,579(+0.47%) 129,635(+0.35%)
2020-11-16
8,845,127(+0.35%) 130,070(+0.34%)
2020-11-17
8,874,290(+0.33%) 130,519(+0.35%)
2020-11-18
8,912,907(+0.44%) 130,993(+0.36%)
2020-11-19
8,958,483(+0.51%) 131,578(+0.45%)
2020-11-20
9,004,365(+0.51%) 132,162(+0.44%)
2020-11-21
9,050,597(+0.51%) 132,726(+0.43%)
2020-11-22
9,095,806(+0.5%) 133,227(+0.38%)
2020-11-23
9,139,865(+0.48%) 133,738(+0.38%)
2020-11-24
9,177,840(+0.42%) 134,218(+0.36%)
2020-11-25
9,222,216(+0.48%) 134,699(+0.36%)
2020-11-26
9,266,705(+0.48%) 135,223(+0.39%)
2020-11-27
9,309,787(+0.46%) 135,715(+0.36%)
2020-11-28
9,351,109(+0.44%) 136,200(+0.36%)
2020-11-29
9,392,919(+0.45%) 136,696(+0.36%)
2020-11-30
9,431,691(+0.41%) 137,139(+0.32%)
2020-12-01
9,462,809(+0.33%) 137,621(+0.35%)
2020-12-02
9,499,413(+0.39%) 138,122(+0.36%)
2020-12-03
9,534,964(+0.37%) 138,648(+0.38%)
2020-12-04
9,571,559(+0.38%) 139,188(+0.39%)
2020-12-05
9,608,211(+0.38%) 139,700(+0.37%)
2020-12-06
9,644,222(+0.37%) 140,182(+0.35%)
2020-12-07
9,677,203(+0.34%) 140,573(+0.28%)
2020-12-08
9,703,770(+0.27%) 140,958(+0.27%)
2020-12-09
9,735,850(+0.33%) 141,360(+0.29%)
2020-12-10
9,767,371(+0.32%) 141,772(+0.29%)
2020-12-11
9,796,769(+0.3%) 142,186(+0.29%)
2020-12-12
9,826,775(+0.31%) 142,628(+0.31%)
2020-12-13
9,857,029(+0.31%) 143,019(+0.27%)
2020-12-14
9,884,100(+0.27%) 143,355(+0.23%)
2020-12-15
9,906,165(+0.22%) 143,709(+0.25%)
2020-12-16
9,932,547(+0.27%) 144,096(+0.27%)
2020-12-17
9,956,557(+0.24%) 144,451(+0.25%)
2020-12-18
9,979,447(+0.23%) 144,789(+0.23%)
2020-12-19
10,004,599(+0.25%) 145,136(+0.24%)
2020-12-20
10,031,223(+0.27%) 145,477(+0.23%)
2020-12-21
10,055,560(+0.24%) 145,810(+0.23%)
2020-12-22
10,075,116(+0.19%) 146,111(+0.21%)
2020-12-23
10,099,066(+0.24%) 146,444(+0.23%)
2020-12-24
10,123,778(+0.24%) 146,756(+0.21%)
2020-12-25
10,146,845(+0.23%) 147,092(+0.23%)
2020-12-26
10,169,118(+0.22%) 147,343(+0.17%)
2020-12-27
10,187,850(+0.18%) 147,622(+0.19%)
2020-12-28
10,207,871(+0.2%) 147,901(+0.19%)
2020-12-29
10,224,303(+0.16%) 148,153(+0.17%)
2020-12-30
10,244,852(+0.2%) 148,439(+0.19%)
2020-12-31
10,266,674(+0.21%) 148,738(+0.2%)
2021-01-01
10,286,709(+0.2%) 148,994(+0.17%)
2021-01-02
10,305,788(+0.19%) 149,218(+0.15%)
2021-01-03
10,323,965(+0.18%) 149,435(+0.15%)
2021-01-04
10,340,469(+0.16%) 149,649(+0.14%)
2021-01-05
10,356,844(+0.16%) 149,850(+0.13%)
2021-01-06
10,374,932(+0.17%) 150,114(+0.18%)
2021-01-07
10,395,278(+0.2%) 150,336(+0.15%)
2021-01-08
10,413,417(+0.17%) 150,570(+0.16%)
2021-01-09
10,431,639(+0.17%) 150,798(+0.15%)
2021-01-10
10,450,284(+0.18%) 150,999(+0.13%)
2021-01-11
10,466,595(+0.16%) 151,160(+0.11%)
2021-01-12
10,479,179(+0.12%) 151,327(+0.11%)
2021-01-13
10,495,147(+0.15%) 151,529(+0.13%)
2021-01-14
10,512,093(+0.16%) 151,727(+0.13%)
2021-01-15
10,527,683(+0.15%) 151,918(+0.13%)
2021-01-16
10,542,841(+0.14%) 152,093(+0.12%)
2021-01-17
10,557,985(+0.14%) 152,274(+0.12%)
2021-01-18
10,571,773(+0.13%) 152,419(+0.1%)
2021-01-19
10,581,837(+0.1%) 152,556(+0.09%)
2021-01-20
10,595,660(+0.13%) 152,718(+0.11%)
2021-01-21
10,610,883(+0.14%) 152,869(+0.1%)
2021-01-22
10,625,428(+0.14%) 153,032(+0.11%)
2021-01-23
10,639,684(+0.13%) 153,184(+0.1%)
2021-01-24
10,654,533(+0.14%) 153,339(+0.1%)
2021-01-25
10,667,736(+0.12%) 153,470(+0.09%)
2021-01-26
10,676,838(+0.09%) 153,587(+0.08%)
2021-01-27
10,689,527(+0.12%) 153,724(+0.09%)
2021-01-28
10,701,193(+0.11%) 153,847(+0.08%)
2021-01-29
10,720,048(+0.18%) 154,010(+0.11%)
2021-01-30
10,733,131(+0.12%) 154,147(+0.09%)
2021-01-31
10,746,183(+0.12%) 154,274(+0.08%)
2021-02-01
10,757,610(+0.11%) 154,392(+0.08%)
2021-02-02
10,766,245(+0.08%) 154,486(+0.06%)
2021-02-03
10,777,284(+0.1%) 154,596(+0.07%)
2021-02-04
10,790,183(+0.12%) 154,703(+0.07%)
2021-02-05
10,802,591(+0.11%) 154,823(+0.08%)
2021-02-06
10,814,304(+0.11%) 154,918(+0.06%)
2021-02-07
10,826,363(+0.11%) 154,996(+0.05%)
2021-02-08
10,838,194(+0.11%) 155,080(+0.05%)
2021-02-09
10,847,304(+0.08%) 155,158(+0.05%)
2021-02-10
10,858,371(+0.1%) 155,252(+0.06%)
2021-02-11
10,871,294(+0.12%) 155,360(+0.07%)
2021-02-12
10,880,603(+0.09%) 155,447(+0.06%)
2021-02-13
10,892,746(+0.11%) 155,550(+0.07%)
2021-02-14
10,904,940(+0.11%) 155,642(+0.06%)
2021-02-15
10,916,589(+0.11%) 155,732(+0.06%)
2021-02-16
10,925,710(+0.08%) 155,813(+0.05%)
2021-02-17
10,937,320(+0.11%) 155,913(+0.06%)
2021-02-18
10,950,201(+0.12%) 156,014(+0.06%)
2021-02-19
10,963,394(+0.12%) 156,111(+0.06%)
2021-02-20
10,977,387(+0.13%) 156,212(+0.06%)
2021-02-21
10,991,651(+0.13%) 156,302(+0.06%)
2021-02-22
11,005,850(+0.13%) 156,385(+0.05%)
2021-02-23
11,016,434(+0.1%) 156,463(+0.05%)
2021-02-24
11,030,176(+0.12%) 156,567(+0.07%)
2021-02-25
11,046,914(+0.15%) 156,705(+0.09%)
2021-02-26
11,063,491(+0.15%) 156,825(+0.08%)
2021-02-27
11,079,979(+0.15%) 156,938(+0.07%)
2021-02-28
11,096,731(+0.15%) 157,051(+0.07%)
2021-03-01
11,112,241(+0.14%) 157,157(+0.07%)
2021-03-02
11,124,527(+0.11%) 157,248(+0.06%)
2021-03-03
11,139,516(+0.13%) 157,346(+0.06%)
2021-03-04
11,156,923(+0.16%) 157,435(+0.06%)
2021-03-05
11,173,761(+0.15%) 157,548(+0.07%)
2021-03-06
11,192,088(+0.16%) 157,656(+0.07%)
2021-03-07
11,210,799(+0.17%) 157,756(+0.06%)
2021-03-08
11,229,398(+0.17%) 157,853(+0.06%)
2021-03-09
11,244,786(+0.14%) 157,930(+0.05%)
2021-03-10
11,262,707(+0.16%) 158,063(+0.08%)
2021-03-11
11,285,561(+0.2%) 158,189(+0.08%)
2021-03-12
11,308,846(+0.21%) 158,306(+0.07%)
2021-03-13
11,333,728(+0.22%) 158,446(+0.09%)
2021-03-14
11,359,048(+0.22%) 158,607(+0.1%)
2021-03-15
11,385,339(+0.23%) 158,725(+0.07%)
2021-03-16
11,409,831(+0.22%) 158,856(+0.08%)
2021-03-17
11,438,734(+0.25%) 159,044(+0.12%)
2021-03-18
11,474,605(+0.31%) 159,216(+0.11%)
2021-03-19
11,514,331(+0.35%) 159,370(+0.1%)
2021-03-20
11,555,284(+0.36%) 159,558(+0.12%)
2021-03-21
11,599,130(+0.38%) 159,755(+0.12%)
2021-03-22
11,646,081(+0.4%) 159,967(+0.13%)
2021-03-23
11,686,796(+0.35%) 160,166(+0.12%)
2021-03-24
11,734,058(+0.4%) 160,441(+0.17%)
2021-03-25
11,787,534(+0.46%) 160,692(+0.16%)
2021-03-26
11,846,652(+0.5%) 160,949(+0.16%)
2021-03-27
11,908,910(+0.53%) 161,240(+0.18%)
2021-03-28
11,971,624(+0.53%) 161,552(+0.19%)
2021-03-29
12,039,644(+0.57%) 161,843(+0.18%)
2021-03-30
12,095,855(+0.47%) 162,114(+0.17%)
2021-03-31
12,149,335(+0.44%) 162,468(+0.22%)
2021-04-01
12,221,665(+0.6%) 162,927(+0.28%)
2021-04-02
12,303,131(+0.67%) 163,396(+0.29%)
2021-04-03
12,392,260(+0.72%) 164,110(+0.44%)
2021-04-04
12,485,509(+0.75%) 164,623(+0.31%)
2021-04-05
12,589,067(+0.83%) 165,101(+0.29%)
2021-04-06
12,686,049(+0.77%) 165,547(+0.27%)
2021-04-07
12,801,785(+0.91%) 166,177(+0.38%)
2021-04-08
12,928,574(+0.99%) 166,862(+0.41%)
2021-04-09
13,060,542(+1%) 167,642(+0.47%)
2021-04-10
13,205,926(+1.1%) 168,436(+0.47%)
2021-04-11
13,358,805(+1.2%) 169,275(+0.5%)
2021-04-12
13,527,717(+1.3%) 170,179(+0.53%)
2021-04-13
13,689,453(+1.2%) 171,058(+0.52%)
2021-04-14
13,873,825(+1.3%) 172,085(+0.6%)
2021-04-15
14,074,564(+1.4%) 173,123(+0.6%)
2021-04-16
14,291,917(+1.5%) 174,308(+0.68%)
2021-04-17
14,526,609(+1.6%) 175,649(+0.77%)
2021-04-18
14,788,109(+1.8%) 177,150(+0.85%)
2021-04-19
15,057,886(+1.8%) 178,793(+0.93%)
2021-04-20
15,321,089(+1.7%) 180,530(+0.97%)
2021-04-21
15,616,130(+1.9%) 182,553(+1.1%)
2021-04-22
15,930,965(+2%) 184,657(+1.2%)
2021-04-23
16,263,695(+2.1%) 186,920(+1.2%)
2021-04-24
16,610,481(+2.1%) 189,544(+1.4%)
2021-04-25
16,960,172(+2.1%) 192,311(+1.5%)
2021-04-26
17,313,163(+2.1%) 195,123(+1.5%)
2021-04-27
17,625,735(+1.8%) 197,880(+1.4%)
2021-04-28
17,997,267(+2.1%) 201,187(+1.7%)
2021-04-29
18,376,524(+2.1%) 204,832(+1.8%)
2021-04-30
18,762,976(+2.1%) 208,330(+1.7%)
2021-05-01
19,164,969(+2.1%) 211,853(+1.7%)
2021-05-02
19,557,457(+2%) 215,542(+1.7%)
2021-05-03
19,925,604(+1.9%) 218,959(+1.6%)
2021-05-04
20,282,833(+1.8%) 222,408(+1.6%)
2021-05-05
20,665,148(+1.9%) 226,188(+1.7%)
2021-05-06
21,077,410(+2%) 230,168(+1.8%)
2021-05-07
21,491,598(+2%) 234,083(+1.7%)
2021-05-08
21,892,676(+1.9%) 238,270(+1.8%)
2021-05-09
22,296,414(+1.8%) 242,362(+1.7%)
2021-05-10
22,662,575(+1.6%) 246,116(+1.5%)
2021-05-11
22,992,517(+1.5%) 249,992(+1.6%)
2021-05-12
23,340,938(+1.5%) 254,197(+1.7%)
2021-05-13
23,703,665(+1.6%) 258,317(+1.6%)
2021-05-14
24,046,809(+1.4%) 262,317(+1.5%)
2021-05-15
24,372,907(+1.4%) 266,207(+1.5%)
2021-05-16
24,683,242(+1.3%) 270,321(+1.5%)
2021-05-17
24,965,463(+1.1%) 274,390(+1.5%)
2021-05-18
25,228,100(+1.1%) 278,151(+1.4%)
2021-05-19
25,496,330(+1.1%) 283,248(+1.8%)
2021-05-20
25,772,440(+1.1%) 287,122(+1.4%)
2021-05-21
26,031,991(+1%) 291,331(+1.5%)
2021-05-22
26,289,290(+0.99%) 295,525(+1.4%)
2021-05-23
26,530,132(+0.92%) 299,266(+1.3%)
2021-05-24
26,752,447(+0.84%) 303,720(+1.5%)
2021-05-25
26,948,874(+0.73%) 307,231(+1.2%)
2021-05-26
27,157,795(+0.78%) 311,338(+1.3%)
2021-05-27
27,369,093(+0.78%) 315,235(+1.3%)
2021-05-28
27,555,457(+0.68%) 318,895(+1.2%)
2021-05-29
27,729,247(+0.63%) 322,512(+1.1%)
2021-05-30
27,894,800(+0.6%) 325,972(+1.1%)
2021-05-31
28,047,534(+0.55%) 329,100(+0.96%)
2021-06-01
28,175,044(+0.45%) 331,895(+0.85%)
2021-06-02
28,307,832(+0.47%) 335,102(+0.97%)
2021-06-03
28,441,986(+0.47%) 337,989(+0.86%)
2021-06-04
28,574,350(+0.47%) 340,702(+0.8%)
2021-06-05
28,694,879(+0.42%) 344,082(+0.99%)
2021-06-06
28,809,339(+0.4%) 346,759(+0.78%)
2021-06-07
28,909,975(+0.35%) 349,186(+0.7%)
2021-06-08
28,996,473(+0.3%) 351,309(+0.61%)
2021-06-09
29,089,069(+0.32%) 353,528(+0.63%)
2021-06-10
29,183,121(+0.32%) 359,676(+1.7%)
2021-06-11
29,274,823(+0.31%) 363,079(+0.95%)
2021-06-12
29,359,155(+0.29%) 367,081(+1.1%)
2021-06-13
29,439,989(+0.28%) 370,384(+0.9%)
2021-06-14
29,510,410(+0.24%) 374,305(+1.1%)
2021-06-15
29,570,881(+0.2%) 377,031(+0.73%)
2021-06-16
29,633,105(+0.21%) 379,573(+0.67%)
2021-06-17
29,700,313(+0.23%) 381,903(+0.61%)
2021-06-18
29,762,793(+0.21%) 383,490(+0.42%)
2021-06-19
29,823,546(+0.2%) 385,137(+0.43%)
2021-06-20
29,881,965(+0.2%) 386,713(+0.41%)
2021-06-21
29,935,221(+0.18%) 388,135(+0.37%)
2021-06-22
29,977,861(+0.14%) 389,302(+0.3%)
2021-06-23
30,028,709(+0.17%) 390,660(+0.35%)
2021-06-24
30,082,778(+0.18%) 391,981(+0.34%)
2021-06-25
30,134,445(+0.17%) 393,310(+0.34%)
2021-06-26
30,183,143(+0.16%) 394,493(+0.3%)
2021-06-27
30,233,183(+0.17%) 395,751(+0.32%)
2021-06-28
30,279,331(+0.15%) 396,730(+0.25%)
2021-06-29
30,316,897(+0.12%) 397,637(+0.23%)
2021-06-30
30,362,848(+0.15%) 398,454(+0.21%)
2021-07-01
30,411,634(+0.16%) 399,459(+0.25%)
2021-07-02
30,458,251(+0.15%) 400,312(+0.21%)
2021-07-03
30,502,362(+0.14%) 401,050(+0.18%)
2021-07-04
30,545,433(+0.14%) 402,005(+0.24%)
2021-07-05
30,585,229(+0.13%) 402,728(+0.18%)
2021-07-06
30,619,932(+0.11%) 403,281(+0.14%)
2021-07-07
30,663,665(+0.14%) 404,211(+0.23%)
2021-07-08
30,709,557(+0.15%) 405,028(+0.2%)
2021-07-09
30,752,950(+0.14%) 405,939(+0.22%)
2021-07-10
30,795,716(+0.14%) 407,145(+0.3%)
2021-07-11
30,837,222(+0.13%) 408,040(+0.22%)
2021-07-12
30,873,916(+0.12%) 408,792(+0.18%)
2021-07-13
30,904,734(+0.1%) 410,816(+0.5%)
2021-07-14
30,945,748(+0.13%) 411,441(+0.15%)
2021-07-15
30,986,807(+0.13%) 412,019(+0.14%)
2021-07-16
31,025,878(+0.13%) 412,563(+0.13%)
2021-07-17
31,063,995(+0.12%) 413,123(+0.14%)
2021-07-18
31,105,278(+0.13%) 413,640(+0.13%)
2021-07-19
31,143,608(+0.12%) 414,141(+0.12%)
2021-07-20
31,173,028(+0.09%) 414,513(+0.09%)
2021-07-21
31,215,156(+0.14%) 418,511(+0.96%)
2021-07-22
31,256,839(+0.13%) 419,021(+0.12%)
2021-07-23
31,291,706(+0.11%) 419,502(+0.11%)
2021-07-24
31,331,207(+0.13%) 420,044(+0.13%)
2021-07-25
31,371,493(+0.13%) 420,585(+0.13%)
2021-07-26
31,409,672(+0.12%) 420,996(+0.1%)
2021-07-27
31,440,492(+0.1%) 421,414(+0.1%)
2021-07-28
31,483,463(+0.14%) 422,055(+0.15%)
2021-07-29
31,526,628(+0.14%) 422,695(+0.15%)
2021-07-30
31,571,299(+0.14%) 423,244(+0.13%)
2021-07-31
31,612,798(+0.13%) 423,842(+0.14%)
2021-08-01
31,654,741(+0.13%) 424,384(+0.13%)
2021-08-02
31,695,370(+0.13%) 424,808(+0.1%)
Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

2020

On 12 January 2020, the WHO confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan, Hubei, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[24]

On 30 January 2020, India reported its first case of COVID-19 in Thrissur, Kerala,[10] which rose to three cases by 3 February 2020; all were students returning from Wuhan.[25] Apart from these, no significant rise in transmissions was observed in February. On 4 March 22 new cases were reported, including 14 infected members of an Italian tourist group.[26] Transmissions increased over the month after several people with travel history to affected countries, and their contacts, tested positive. On 12 March, a 76-year-old man, with a travel history to Saudi Arabia, became the first COVID-19 fatality of India.[27]

 
Cases
 
Deaths

A Sikh preacher, who had a travel history to Italy and Germany, turned into a superspreader by attending a Sikh festival in Anandpur Sahib during 10–12 March.[28][29][30] Over 40,000 people in 20 villages in Punjab were quarantined on 27 March to contain the spread.[29][31] On 31 March, a Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation event in Delhi, which had taken place earlier in March, emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot.[32] On 2 May, around 4,000 stranded pilgrims returned from Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra to Punjab. Many of them tested positive, including 27 bus drivers and conductors who had been part of the transport arrangement.[33]

In July 2020, it was estimated based on antibody tests that at least 57% of the inhabitants of Mumbai's slums may have been infected with COVID-19 at some point.[34]

A government panel on COVID-19 stated in October 2020 that the pandemic had peaked in India, and could come under control by February 2021.[35] This prediction was based on a mathematical simulation referred to as the "Indian Supermodel", assuming that India reaches herd immunity.[36] That month, a new SARS-CoV-2 variant, Lineage B.1.617, was detected in the country.[37]

2021: Second wave

 
India's two waves versus Delhi's four waves in the same time period taking into account daily COVID-19 cases

India began its vaccination programme on 16 January 2021.[38] On 19 January 2021, nearly a year after the first reported case in the country, Lakshadweep became the last region of India to report its first case.[39] By February 2021, daily cases had fallen to 9,000 per-day.[40][41] However, by early-April 2021, a major second wave of infections took hold in the country with destructive consequences;[42] on 9 April, India surpassed 1 million active cases,[43] and by 12 April, India overtook Brazil as having the second-most COVID-19 cases worldwide.[44] By late April, India passed 2.5 million active cases and was reporting an average of 300,000 new cases and 2,000 deaths per-day. Some analysts feared this was an undercount.[45] On 30 April, India reported over 400,000 new cases and over 3,500 deaths in one day.[46]

Multiple factors have been proposed to have potentially contributed to the sudden spike in cases, including highly-infectious variants of concern such as Lineage B.1.617,[47][48] a lack of preparations as temporary hospitals were often dismantled after cases started to decline, and new facilities were not built,[49][50] and health and safety precautions being poorly-implemented or enforced during weddings,[51] festivals (such as Holi on 29 March,[52][53] and the Haridwar Kumbh Mela which was linked to at least 1,700 positive cases between 10 and 14 April including cases in Hindu seers),[54][55] sporting events (such as IPL[56]), state and local elections in which politicians and activists have held in several states,[57] and in public places.[52][53] An economic slowdown put pressure on the government to lift restrictions,[58] and there had been a feeling of exceptionalism based on the hope that India's young population and childhood immunisation scheme would blunt the impact of the virus.[58] Models may have underestimated projected cases and deaths due to the under-reporting of cases in the country.[59][58]

Due to high demand, the vaccination programme began to be hit with supply issues; exports of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine were suspended to meet domestic demand,[60] there have been shortages of the raw materials required to manufacture vaccines domestically,[61] while hesitancy and a lack of knowledge among poorer, rural communities has also impacted the programme.[60][38][41]

The second wave placed a major strain on the healthcare system,[52] including a shortage of liquid medical oxygen due to ignored warnings which began in the first wave itself,[62][63] logistic issues, and a lack of cryogenic tankers.[64] On 23 April, Modi met via videoconference with liquid oxygen suppliers including Reliance, SAIL, JSW, Tata Steel, JSPL, AMNS, LINDE, INOX Air Products and Air Water Jamshedpur, where he acknowledged the need to "provide solutions in a very short time", and acknowledged efforts such as increases in production, and the use of rail,[65] and air transport to deliver oxygen supplies.[66][67] A large number of new oxygen plants were announced;[68] the installation burden being shared by the center, coordination with foreign countries with regard to oxygen plants received in the form of aid, and DRDO.[69] A number of countries sent emergency aid to India in the form of oxygen supplies, medicines, raw material for vaccines and ventilators.[70] This reflected a policy shift in India; comparable aid offers had been rejected during the past sixteen years.[71][72]


The number of new cases had begun to steadily drop by late-May; on 25 May, the country reported 195,994 new cases—its lowest daily increase since 13 April. However, the mortality rate has remained high;[73] by 24 May, India recorded over 300,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19.[74] Around 100,000 deaths had occurred in the last 26 days, and 50,000 in the last 12.[75] In May 2021, WHO declared that two variants first found in India will be referred to as 'Delta' and 'Kappa'.[76] The state of Karnataka announced a COVID-19 memorial later that spring, to honour healthcare professionals who had succumbed to the virus.[77]

On 25 August 2021, Soumya Swaminathan said that India "may be entering some kind of stage of endemicity where there is low level transmission or moderate level transmission going on" but nothing as severe as before, in other words India is learning to live with the virus.[17]

India announced a mandatory 10-day quarantine on travellers arriving from United Kingdom irrespective of their vaccination status starting 4 October 2021 after United Kingdom also put the same restrictions on travellers from India by not recognizing India's vaccine certificate.[78] On 8 October the United Kingdom opened up the restrictions on travelers from 47 countries and locations including India.[79]

2022

By March, India had just 22,487 cases across the country. With 58.8% population fully vaccinated and 70% having received at least one dose opening up post-pandemic has been steady. Buoyed by the success of its vaccination program among senior citizens, adults, and adolescents, the vaccination program is now inoculating children in the 12-15 age group. Further, the central government has urged state governments to end all COVID curbs except masks and social distancing. International flights were resumed on 27 March after a gap of two years.[80][81]

2023

On 22 March 2023, Prime Minister Modi held a high-level meeting to discuss the nation's preparedness for a new wave of infections, potentially driven by the newly detected SARS-CoV-2 strain, XBB.1.16. Active cases had reached a 5-month high as of 23 March and came amid an ongoing H3N2 influenza outbreak, prompting officials to determine the readiness of the healthcare system and its logistical needs.[82][83] In response to the rising number of cases, some hospitals reopened Covid wards that had previously been shuttered following a yearlong lull in infections.[84]

In August, a new subvariant of Omicron, named Eris was detected in the state of Maharashtra with cases increasng in a few cities.[85]

Response

Health care and testing

COVID-19 Dashboard
Total samples tested[86] 68,24,28,595
Total positive cases 3,36,78,786
New samples tested 11,54,302
New Positive cases 26,248
New Positivity Rate 2.5%
Total active cases 171,830
Total deaths 4,82,017
Total recovered cases 3,43,06,414
Total Doses administered[87] 1,46,70,18,464
People vaccinated 1st dose[88] 86,12,38,061
People vaccinated 2nd dose 61,63,65,612
As of 5 January 2022[18]
 
Do's & Don'ts of COVID-19 released by the Government of India
 
A passenger being tested for COVID-19 at the New Delhi railway station during the second wave of the pandemic

The Union Health Ministry's war room and policy making team in New Delhi decide how coronavirus should be tackled in the country, and consists of the ministry's Emergency Medical Response Unit, the Central Surveillance Unit (IDSP), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and experts from three government hospitals among others.[89] In March 2020, India's strategy was focused on cluster-containment, similar to how India contained previous epidemics, as well as "breaking the chain of transmission".[89][90] 52 labs were named capable of virus testing by 13 March.[91]

On 14 March 2020, scientists at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) isolated a strain of the novel coronavirus. India was the fifth country to successfully obtain a pure sample of the virus;[92] isolation of the virus would help towards expediting the development of drugs, vaccines and rapid diagnostic kits in the country.[93] NIV shared two SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences with GISAID.[94] In May, the NIV introduced another test kit for rapid testing.[95]

Initial testing

 
A testing facility at the National Centre for Disease Control in Delhi

Initially, the labs tested samples only from those with a travel history to 12 countries designated as high-risk, or those who had come in contact with anyone testing positive for the coronavirus, or showing symptoms as per the government guidelines.[96][97] On 20 March 2020, the government decided to also include all pneumonia cases, regardless of travel or contact history.[98][99] On 9 April, ICMR further revised the testing strategy and allowed testing of the people showing symptoms for a week in the hotspot areas of the country, regardless of travel history or local contact to a patient.[100] While the health ministry claimed enough tests were being performed,[99] experts disagreed, saying that community transmission may go undetected.[101]

Expansion of tests

On 17 March 2020, the health ministry decided to allow accredited private pathology labs to test for COVID-19.[102] A person could get a COVID-19 test at a private lab after a qualified physician in a government facility recommended it.[103] Experts said this increased testing may ultimately result in a correction of the current under-counting and an increase in confirmed cases.[104]

111 additional labs for testing became functional on 21 March.[105] On 24 March, Mylab Discovery Solutions became the first Indian company to have received regulatory validation for its RT-PCR tests.[106][107] In April, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi had developed a low cost paper-strip test that could detect COVID-19 within an hour. Each test would cost 500.00 (equivalent to 590 or US$7.40 in 2023).[108] On 13 April, ICMR advised pool testing in low infection areas to increase the capacity of the testing and save resources. In this process maximum five samples are tested at once and samples are tested individually only if a pool tests positive.[109] Faulty test kits from China were subsequently returned and future orders cancelled.[110][111][112][113]

By 9 July 2020, 1132 testing labs were functional. Following testing shortages, non-accredited private laboratories applying for accreditation were also given permission to test for coronavirus.[114] In September 2020, India had attained the highest number of daily tests in the world.[115] By 5 May 2021, 2506 testing labs (government and private) were functional and the total daily national testing capacity reached 1,500,000 tests.[116]

Testing community transmission

Testing for community transmission began on 15 March 2020. 65 government laboratories started testing random samples of people who exhibit flu-like symptoms and samples from patients without any travel history or contact with infected persons.[117][118] As of 18 March, no evidence of community transmission was found after results of 500 random samples tested negative.[119] Between 15 February and 2 April, 5,911 SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses) patients were tested throughout the country of which, 104 tested positive (1.8%) in 20 states and union territories. About 40% of the identified patients did not have a travel history or any history of contact with a positive patient.[120] The ICMR advised to prioritise containment in the 36 districts of 15 states which had reported positive cases among SARI patients.[121]

In April 2020 WHO placed India in the community transmission stage however in June moved India to clusters of cases.[122] In October 2020, the health minister admitted to community transmission limited to some states and districts.[123] Until May 2021, India insisted that clusters of cases remained, and there was no nationwide community transmission.[124]

Daily samples tested

Research and treatment

 
NITI Aayog health member Vinod K. Paul, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Rajesh Bhushan, and other officials, addressing a press conference on COVID-19, in New Delhi on 13 October 2020.

On 23 March, the National Task Force for COVID-19 constituted by the ICMR recommended the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of high-risk cases.[125][126] In the same month, the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Cipla launched a joint venture to develop anti-COVID-19 drugs.[127][128] In April, funds for a number of preventive agents were released to initiate research.[129][130] The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology started working on genome sequencing of COVID-19 in early 2020.[131]

India was estimated to have approximately 40,000 ventilators in March 2020, of which 8,432 were with the public sector.[132] The government aimed to double the capacity of ventilators by June 2020,[133] with the assistance from Indian PSUs, firms and startups, including Bharat Electronics, DRDO and ISRO.[134] This led to the creation of some of the world's smallest and cheapest ventilators.[135] Production lines were repurposed to manufacture general Personal protective equipment, full body suits and ventilators; India was producing around 200,000 PPE kits and 250,000 N95 masks per day in May 2020, compared to virtually zero shortly before.[136]

Several states were allowed by ICMR and Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to start clinical trials of convalescent plasma therapy and plasma exchange therapy.[137] Initial optimism around plasma therapy,[138][139] resulted in ICMR stating that there is no robust evidence to support convalescent plasma therapy as a routine therapy, describing it is as an emerging and experimental therapy.[140] Convalescent plasma therapy was dropped form the COVID-19 treatment protocol by ICMR in mid May 2021.[141][142]

In June 2020, India approved the repurposing of generic versions of the antiviral medication favipiravir for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms by Glenmark, Cipla and the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology and Lupin Limited.[143] In July 2020, the Indian firm Biocon received emergency authorisation for the use of the repurposed drug Itolizumab in treatments for chronic plaque psoriasis, one of the symptoms of the disease.[144]

On 23 April 2021, Cadila Healthcare received an emergency authorisation to repurpose Peginterferon alfa-2b, a medication used to treat hepatitis C, as a treatment for moderate COVID-19 in adults.[145] On 8 May 2021, DCGI gave permission for emergency use of the drug 2-Deoxy-D-glucose developed by DRDO in collaboration with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories as an adjunct or alternative therapy for treating moderate to severe cases of COVID-19.[146]

By April 2021, the latest treatment guidelines mirrored those of the WHO and the United States with the important exception that, in India, mildly ill patients were allowed to be given Hydroxychloroquine or Ivermectin.[42] This potential off-label prescription seems to have taken off in some parts of India: Kavery Nambisan, an Indian surgeon, said that a doctor in Kandivali, Mumbai, has treated thousands of patients with ivermectin.[147]

Vaccine development and production

The Indian government infused 900 crore (equivalent to 11 billion or US$130 million in 2023) into the Department of Biotechnology in November 2020 to aid the development of a COVID vaccine.[148] The 2021 budget of India also allocated 35,000 crore (equivalent to 410 billion or US$5.2 billion in 2023) for vaccine procurement.[149]

In January 2021, the DCGI initially approved the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under the trade name "Covishield",[150][151] and BBV152 (Covaxin), a vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology.[152]

The approval of Covaxin was met with some concern, as the vaccine had not then completed phase 3 trials.[153] Due to this status, those receiving Covaxin were required to sign a consent form,[154] while some states chose to relegate Covaxin to a "buffer stock" and primarily distribute the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine.[155] Following the conclusion of its trial, the DCGI issued a standard emergency-use authorisation to Covaxin in March 2021.[156] The slogan 'Dawai Bhi, Kadai Bhi' (trnsl; Vaccination and Precautions both are necessary) was used by the Indian Government.

In April 2021, the DCGI approved the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which was trialled in India by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories.[157][158] The initial shipment of 150 million Sputnik V doses arrived on 1 May, and began to be administered on 14 May.[159] Domestic manufacturing of Sputnik V is expected to begin by August 2021, with doses imported from Russia being used in the meantime.[160][161]

In May 2021, the DCGI approved phase 2 and 3 trials of Covaxin among children 2–18.[162]

In late-June 2021, after the DCGI removed a requirement that all COVID-19 vaccines must be trialed locally before approval (notwithstanding any approval and wide use in other major countries), the DCGI approved the Moderna vaccine for emergency use.[163][20]

Vaccination policy and distribution

 
 
 
 
  • Top left: A healthcare worker administering a COVID-19 vaccine dose in AIIMS New Delhi on 16 January 2021.
  • Top right: Frontline workers in Bihar filling COVID19 vaccination cards in May 2021.
  • Bottom left:A COVID19 vaccination queue in Nagpur, Maharashtra on 1 May 2021.
  • Bottom right: A vaccination center in Bhopal.

Administratively, India began preparing to vaccinate its population in April 2020 with the setting up a Vaccine Task Force.[164] Following this the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) was formed,[165] and in October 2020 states were asked to set up state level mechanisms for the COVID-19 vaccine programme,[166] and prepare cold chains points.[167][168] A communication strategy for the vaccination programme was also revealed by the health ministry in January 2021, targeting issues such as vaccine eagerness and hesitancy.[169]

India started out with a vaccination policy targeting 300 million people based on occupation and age group, to be completed a time period of six months, by August 2021.[170][171]

  • Phase 1 started on 16 January 2021 and targeted 10 million health workers[a] first followed by 20 million frontline workers.[b][175][176] Phase 1 was to be completed by 31 March.[177][176] On 3 April, registrations for this group was closed.[178] 67% of health, frontline workers received at least one dose; taking into account registered health and frontline workers, the number of fully vaccinated is 47%.[177][179]
  • Phase 2 began on 1 March 2021 to cover 45+ year old's with co-morbidities and 60+ year old's.[176] On 1 April, vaccinations were opened for everyone above 45 years.[176] Shortages in vaccine supplies were evident in March.[180]

On 19 March 2021, in the Lok Sabha, the health minister of India stated that "It is not necessary, scientifically, to give each and every person in the country the vaccine. Not each and every person in the world will be vaccinated. The prioritisation process is a dynamic process..."[181]

  • Phase 3 of the vaccination campaign was opened up to include all eligible adults (18+) from 1 May 2021 following a surge in cases in April, a second wave.[182][177] This expansion resulted in immediate, increased and prolonged vaccine shortages.[171]
 
India's COVID-19 vaccination deployment until 3 June

Changes in procurement policies, the liberalised vaccination policy,[183][182] and differential pricing further complicated the situation.[184][185] Global vaccine obligations of India were also severely affected including those with south-Asian neighbours,[186] and 190 countries associated with COVAX.[187][188]

By 22 October 2021, India delivered 1 Billion doses for COVID-19 out of which, 700 million were single doses and 300 million were double doses.[189]

According to a 2022 modelling study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, over 4.2 million lives were saved in India in 2021 due to vaccination against COVID-19.[190]

Immediate relief

 
 
 
 
Various sanitisation methods were adopted

Welfare

On 19 March 2020, Kerala announced a stimulus package of 20,000 crore (equivalent to 240 billion or US$2.9 billion in 2023) to help the state overcome both the COVID-19 epidemic and economic hardship caused by it.[191] On 21 March, Uttar Pradesh announced 1,000 (equivalent to 1,200 or US$15 in 2023) to all daily wage labourers.[192] On 22 March, Punjab announced 3,000 (equivalent to 3,500 or US$44 in 2023) to all registered construction workers.[193] A number of states and union territories went on to announce free and increased rations for ration card holders.[194] Karnataka announced 1,610 crore (equivalent to 19 billion or US$240 million in 2023) relief for unorganised sectors including flower growers, washer-men and women, barbers, construction workers, auto and cab drivers, MSMEs, and weavers.[195] The Delhi government announced that if a doctor, nurse or hygiene worker dies during treatment, their family will be provided 10 million (US$130,000).[196] The Union government also announced the distribution of rations.[197]

Economic relief and stimulus package

A food security scheme, part of wider economic relief package of 1.7 lakh crore (equivalent to 2.0 trillion or US$25 billion in 2023), was announced by the center on 26 March 2020. This also included direct cash transfer, primarily for migrant labourers and daily wage labourers; and free gas cylinders for three months.[198] This was followed by RBI cutting repo rates, injecting liquidity and permitting banks to provide a moratorium on all loans for three months.[199] Payment of taxes was relaxed and states were provided with short term credit via increased ways and means advances limits.[199] Pending wages of daily wage labourers under Mgnrega scheme were released.[200] On 12 May the Prime Minister announced an economic package of 20 lakh crore (equivalent to 24 trillion or US$290 billion in 2023); this included previous government actions, including the RBI announcements and the Finance Ministers announcement on 26 March.[201][202] On 12 October and 12 November, the government announced two more economic stimulus packages, bringing the total economic stimulus to 29.87 lakh crore (equivalent to 35 trillion or US$440 billion in 2023).[203] 15,000 crore (equivalent to 180 billion or US$2.2 billion in 2023) was sanctioned for the health sectors response to COVID-19.[204]

 
India's (in red) government stringency during the COVID-19 pandemic according to the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Stringency Index. The stringency index includes schools, workplaces, public events, gatherings, public transport, public information campaigns, stay at home policy, internal movement, international travel, testing policy, contract tracing, face coverings, and vaccination policy.[205][206][207][208]

On 12 June 2021, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced to reduce the GST tax rates on the equipments, medicines, masks, sanitizers etc. which are being using for the treatment of COVID-19.[209]

Lockdowns

First wave: Nation-wide

 
Special provisions inserted in the Epidemic Diseases Act as a result of COVID-19 spread

The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and Disaster Management Act, 2005 was invoked in mid-March 2020.[210][211] All commercial domestic and international flights were suspended in March.[212][199] A number of cities and states announced that they would restrict public gatherings, dine-in restaurants, or order the closure of various non-essential businesses through 31 March to slow the spread of COVID-19.[213] On 19 March 2020, Prime Minister Modi asked all Indians to observe a 14-hour Janata curfew ("people's curfew") on 22 March, and to thank essential workers by clapping or ringing bells at 5 p.m. outside their homes.[214][215] The curfew was used to evaluate the feasibility of a national lockdown.[216][217]

On 24 March, with 519 confirmed cases and 9 deaths in the country,[218] the Prime Minister announced that India would be placed under a "total lockdown" for at least three weeks. All non-critical businesses and services were ordered closed except for hospitals, grocery stores, and pharmacies, and there was a "total ban" on leaving the home for non-essential purposes. All public transport was suspended.[219][217]

On 16 April, districts were divided into zones using a colour-coded tier system based on incidence rates, classified as a "Red" (hotspot), "Orange", or "Green" (little to no transmission) zone. All of India's major cities fell into Red zones.[220][221] Beginning 20 April, agricultural businesses and stores selling farming supplies were allowed to resume operation, as well as public works programmes, cargo transport, and banks and government centres distributing benefits.[222] Phase 3[223] and 4 of the lockdown extended until 31 May, with incremental relaxations and changes.[224][225] The country began a phased lifting of restrictions on 8 June.[226] This phased lifting of restrictions continued in a series of "unlocks" which extended into November 2020.[212][227][228]

The government was criticised for not using the lockdown to prepare the health system for when the lockdown would be lifted.[229]

Second wave: State-wise and localized

Cities in Maharashtra such as Amravati and Nagpur started imposing curfew restrictions and lockdown measures in late February and early to mid-March 2021.[230][231] On 4 April, Maharashtra imposed a weekend lockdown and night curfew among other restrictions.[232] By early to mid-May, 35 of 36 of India's states and union territories had some form of state-wide and localised restriction.[233][234] The second wave of the pandemic in India has seen no nationwide lockdown.[233][234] Phased unlocking was announced starting June in Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and a number of other states.[235]

Administration, committees and task forces

India's covid response is being guided by a number of committees, empowered groups, advisory groups and task forces. Some of these were formed before the pandemic such as the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), "India's apex advisory body on immunization",[236] and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) under the National Centre for Disease Control.[237] IDSP was brought in as early as 17 January 2020.[238][239] Some of these were constituted following the onset of the pandemic such as the ICMR COVID-19 Task Force.[240] The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), formed in August 2020 would guide the national vaccine delivery strategy.[165] In October 2020, NEGVAC advice resulted in the formation of a three-tier state level mechanism for the implementation of the vaccine strategy.[166] The overall response has been led by the Prime Minister and his office; at least 67 review meetings have been held by it between January 2020 and May 2021.[237]

Table of EGs, Task Forces and Committees
Formation Date Name Members Notes Ref
2020
3 Feb Group of Ministers (GOM) on COVID-19 Chaired by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan On 17 May 2021, the 26th meeting of the GOM was held. [241][242]
29 Mar 11 Empowered Groups Representatives from the Prime Minister's Office and the cabinet secretariat. Headed by Secretary level officers, NITI Aayog members including Amitabh Kant Set up under Disaster Management Act 2005; 11 empowered groups set up to ensure quick decision making related to the pandemic and coordinate response. [243]
7 April National Task Force for COVID-19 (ICMR COVID-19 Task Force) Headed by VK Paul, Randeep Guleria and Balram Bhargava. Set up by ICMR; terms of reference includes "identifying research priorities, review evidence, align research with level of outbreak and response; identify and create protocol; develop concept notes and identify partners for implementation". [240][237]
14 April Vaccine Task Force Co-chaired by VK Paul and PSA K. VijayRaghavan Set up by the Prime Minister's Office; until 3 May 2021, 23 meetings of the VTF have been held. [164]
~31 May National COVID-19 Supermodel Committee M Vidyasagar, Manindra Agrawal, Lt Gen Madhuri Kanitkar, Biman Bagchi, Arup Bose, Gagandeep Kang, Sankar K Pal Set up under the Department of Science and Technology; forecasting and modelling related to the pandemic. [244]
12 Aug National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) Headed by VK Paul and Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan Vaccine delivery strategy. [165][245]
14 Sep 6 Empowered Groups (reconstituted) Headed by V.K. Paul, Guruprasad Mahapatra, Amitabh Kant, Tarun Bajaj, Ajay Bhalla The 11 empowered groups set up on 29 March 2020 were reconstituted into 6 EGs. The groups had also undergone modification in May 2020. [246][247][248]
26 Oct State Steering Committee. State/ District/ Urban/ Block Task Forces. Chaired by Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Health), District Magistrate, Municipal Commissioner, SDM/ BDO respectively. Following NEGVAC advice, the union government asked the states to form state-specific mechanisms in preparation for the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination drive. [166][249][250]
25 Dec Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) Ten laboratories of Department of Biotechnology, MoST, CSIR, ICMR and MoHFW "To monitor the genomic variations in the SARS-CoV-2 on a regular basis through a multi-laboratory network." [251][252]
2021
9 May National Task Force Devi Shetty, Gagandeep Kang, Naresh Trehan, Saumitra Rawat, Shiv Kumar Sarin, Zarir Udwadia Set up by the Supreme Court of India; "to facilitate a public health response to the pandemic based on scientific and specialised domain knowledge" and oxygen related issues. [253]
Others: MoHFW's National Media Rapid Response Cell (NMRRC)[254]

Pseudoscience practices

Despite no scientific evidence behind the use of animal products to boost immunity against COVID-19, some individuals sought out traditional or religiously inspired methods. One such method involved scrubbing oneself in cow dung and urine, followed by rinsing off in cow milk or buttermilk on a weekly basis at cow shelters. Other methods involved consumption of cow dung and urine. Proponents of these pseudoscience preventative methods also occasionally consumed cow urine to boost immunity against SARS-CoV-2, and some Indian healthcare professionals likewise participated in these rituals. Cow dung and urine were promoted as effective treatment for COVID-19 by many religious leaders, medical professionals, other key opinion leaders, and government officials.[255]

Military

The Indian military has supported the Indian government's response during the pandemic.[256] During the second wave, some of the steps taken by the Indian military to help the fight against the pandemic includes setting up of COVID facilities,[257] setting up of oxygen PSA plants,[258] providing domestic and international air and water transport assistance,[258][256] providing medical assistance to civilians, providing nursing assistance and truck drivers,[256] providing support to centre and states as requested,[256] roping in retired military medics,[259] providing manpower with specialised skills,[260] and roping in the National Cadet Corps.[258] The three armed forces were functioning under Operation CO-JEET.[261] Operation Samudra Setu 1 which was officially conducted between 5 May 2020 and 8 July 2020 and focused on repatriation; and Samudra Setu 2 in 2021 focused on oxygen related transport.[262][263]

Private sector

In March–April 2020, several companies and organisations donated masks and other pandemic related supplies.[264] Several large business groups contributed to the PM CARES Fund.[265] Leading Indian corporates have come forward to provide support to hospitals across the country.[266] This includes procuring, setting up and maintaining cryogenic tanks, medical equipment and ventilators.[267] Business leaders in India have also set up COVID-19 facilities.[268] The chief executive officers of 40 US companies set up a global task force to collaborate on procuring equipment to support India.[269] Ola is providing doorstep delivery of medical oxygen.[270]

International

International support

The Indian government provided around 65.5 million doses of covid vaccines to 95 countries between 20 January 2021 and late March 2021. 10.5 million doses were gifted while the remaining were commercial and COVAX obligations.[271]

 
International support to India during the second wave

International support has been provided to India since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.[272] In late April 2021, international relief being transported to India increased.[273] European countries such as France, Ireland, Belgium, Romania, Luxembourg, Portugal and Sweden sent pandemic related aid such as oxygen concentrators, ventilators and medicines.[274] France and Germany also sent oxygen plants; Germany also sent 12 army paramedics to operate the plants.[275][276] Oxygen related equipment was shipped from Bahrain, Thailand, Singapore,[277] Saudi Arabia[278] and the United Kingdom.[279] Russia, United States of America and UNICEF sent various relief material including oxygen producing units.[280][272][281] In April 2021 Taiwan sent 150 oxygen machines to India. The oxygen machines had been purchased by the Taiwanese government and modified for India's electrical voltage.[282] Other countries to have provided support include Bhutan,[283] Bangladesh,[284] Kuwait,[285] Kenya,[286] Turkiye, Switzerland, Poland, Netherlands and Israel.[287] On 5 May 2021, Indian External Affairs Minister said that "What you describe as aid, we call friendship" in response to foreign support during the pandemic.[288] On 16 April, China sent 650,000 testing kits to India,[289] but their use was discontinued in view of a very low accuracy.[112][113]

There were international concerns related to how the support being sent to India is being used.[290][291] By 5 May India had received 5,769,442 items in aid.[292] Support between 27 April and 14 May included "10,796 oxygen concentrators, 12,269 oxygen cylinders; 19 oxygen generation plants; 6,497 ventilators, more than 4.2 lakh Remdesivir vials".[293] The government released the institutions and the states to which the support had been sent.[294][295][292]

Response shortages and criticism

The role of the National Centre for Disease Control during the COVID-19 pandemic has been questioned including the subdued sharing of data collected by the IDSP.[296] Disease surveillance in India through IDSP faces perpetual shortage of funds and manpower resulting in a weak nationwide data collection system.[297] The IDSP does not track deaths taking place outside hospitals,[298] or deaths due to COVID-19 of those not tested,[299] one of the many reasons under-counting is built into the system. The lack of epidemiologists in senior decision-making positions of COVID-19 related committees has been evident,[296] including the absence of state-level epidemiologists in a number of states.[300] In April 2020, the health ministry asked states to go on a hiring spree and fill vacancies for epidemiologists.[301] Indian Council of Medical Research has been criticised for did not updating the "treatment protocol for COVID-19" between July 2020 and April 2021.[302] The "National Task Force for COVID-19" did not meet during February and March despite members claiming it was obvious a second wave was in the making.[302] A number of warnings pertaining to a surge in cases in March, shortages in life-saving equipment and a second wave were downsized and went unheeded.[303] A number of problems were found with the forecasting and modelling by the National COVID-19 Supermodel Committee by independent commentators.[304] In early May 2021, the committee said that they hadn't been able to predict the second wave accurately.[305][306] A lot of problems with India's failing response to the second wave was the general and long term issues of the public health system in India.[297]

Evacuations by India related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the central and state governments of India coordinated numerous international and domestic evacuations.

Background

COVID-19 pandemic

SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in the city of Wuhan, Hubei, China in mid-December 2019, when a group of people developed a pneumonia without clear causes, and existing treatments were found to be ineffective. The coronavirus has similar characteristics to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), with the resulting disease being named COVID-19. Within a number of weeks, several thousand people in Hubei's provincial capital of Wuhan were infected, and the Chinese central government imposed strict containment measures, including a lockdown of Hubei itself.[307]

As the virus spread worldwide, more countries also instilled their own lockdowns and put travel restrictions into place. In response, many nations evacuated their citizens as well as other nationals to transport them home. India was no exception: to control the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, all visas were suspended from 13 March[308] and international flights were suspended nine days later from 22 March.[309] India had started a national lockdown on 25 March, which restricted the movement of people in the country.[310]

Migration

The Indian diaspora is the largest in the world, with the UN estimating their size at 17.5 million in 2019.[311] The Ministry of External Affairs has higher figures, with the number of Non-resident Indians or NRIs (Indian citizens who do not live in the country on a regular-enough basis to pay income tax) alone being over 13 million.[312] In addition, India also has a substantial population of internal migrant workers, with Reuters estimating that there are 100 million such workers.[313]

Previous evacuations

India has conducted several large-scale evacuations in modern times, particularly in the Middle East where there is a high concentration of Indians and several conflicts in recent history.[314] The 1990 airlift of Indians from Kuwait has been recognized as the world's largest civilian airlift, with over 110,000 people evacuated.[315] Domestically, Operation Rahat, which the Indian Air Force claimed was the biggest civilian helicopter evacuation ever,[316] airlifted over 19,600 people from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh during the 2013 North India floods.[317]

International

January–April 2020

After the lockdown in Hubei, the government owned flag carrier Air India flew to Wuhan to evacuate Indian citizens, particularly students, stranded there. As cases spiked in Italy and Iran, the latter country of which some pilgrims had been stuck in, efforts were shifted to evacuate Indians from Milan (where Air India already flew before the pandemic) and Iranian cities. These flights were free for passengers.[318]

Departure date Evacuees Nationalities[c] Departure airport Arrival airport Notes
1 February 2020 324  324   Wuhan Tianhe International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport This was India's first evacuation flight.[319] There were three minors, 211 students and 110 working professionals, and the flight was operated by Air India.[320][321]
2 February 2020 330   323
  7
This was India's second flight. All passengers were quarantined in Delhi and Manesar, Haryana.[322]
27 February 2020 111   76
  23
  6
  2
  2
  1
  1
  1
This was the third evacuation flight sent by India to Wuhan. India also provided 15 tonnes of medical assistance comprising masks, gloves and other emergency medical equipment to China through the same Indian Air Force flight.[323][324]
27 February 2020 124   119
  2
  1
  1
  1
  Tokyo Narita International Airport This flight mostly had crew members of the Diamond Princess as passengers.[325]
10 March 2020 58  58   Tehran (unknown airport) Hindon Airport The Indian Air Force used a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft to evacuate Indian pilgrims from Iran.[326]
11 March 2020 83   74
  6
  3
  Milan Malpensa Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport The flight was operated by Air India. All the non-Indian citizens were of Indian origin. All evacuees were placed under quarantine for 14 days.[327]
15 March 2020 218  218 Indira Gandhi International Airport Air India operated the flight. The evacuees brought to New Delhi will be shifted to Indo-Tibetan Border Police's camp in Chhawla area where they will be quarantined for 14 days.[328]
15 March 2020 234  234   Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport 131 students and 103 pilgrims, among others, were evacuated from Iran on a Mahan Air flight organized by the Indian Embassy. They were quarantined for 14 days in Indian Army's wellness centre facility in Jaisalmer.[329][330]
16 March 2020 53  53   Tehran and Shiraz

Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport

Jaisalmer Airport 52 students and 1 teacher were evacuated by Air India and were then quarantined at an Army Wellness Centre in Jaisalmer.[331]
22 March 2020 263  263   Rome Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport Evacuated by Air India from Rome, Italy, and then were quarantined at Indo-Tibetan Border Police's camp near Delhi.[332]
29 March 2020 275  275   Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport Jodhpur Airport After preliminary screening, they were quarantined at Army Wellness Centre Jodhpur.[333]

May 2020–present: Vande Bharat Mission

The Indian government initiated a massive evacuation program called "Vande Bharat Mission" on 7 May 2020.[334] This involved flights via Air India and its low-cost arm Air India Express.[335] In the first three phases of the mission, the government did not allow private airlines to participate, though they have been allowed to participate in the fourth phase onwards. The government continues to set the fare, determine the routes and decide the number of flights.[336]

Over 67,000 evacuation requests were registered by MEA by 8 May;[337] twenty days later, the number of registrations had increased to over 300,000. It was initially predicted that the total number of civilians evacuated could surpass the Kuwait airlift, with estimates ranging from 192,000 to 250,000.[338][339][314] On 6 August, the MEA declared that almost 950,000 Indians were repatriated.[340]

As well as evacuating Indian nationals back to the country, certain flights will also evacuate anyone who wants to leave, provided they are a national, permanent resident, or have a visa valid for at least one year.[341] Unlike previous evacuations, passengers have to pay for their journey, with fares ranging from 15,000 (US$190) for the Gulf states to 100,000 (US$1,300) for the United States.[342]

Phase I

 
Schedule of Vande Bharat Mission-phase 1

Phase one, which was conducted from 7–17 May, mostly targeted areas with high concentrations of Indians. It was predicted that this phase would feature a total of 64 flights, half of which were for the Gulf states, as well as two naval ships for Indians in the Maldives under the label "Samudra Setu" (Sea Bridge).[341][343][344] The MEA gave a higher number of 84 flights, which may have been due to counting domestic connections on the same plane as a separate flight. As of 15 May, All India Radio reported that 56 flights had been conducted.[345]

Departure date Inbound evacuees Outbound evacuees[d] Foreign destination Indian destination Notes
7 May 2020 177   Abu Dhabi International Airport Cochin International Airport First flight under the mission.[346] Three passengers on the flight to Kochi later tested positive for COVID-19.[347]
7 May 2020 177   Dubai International Airport Calicut International Airport A substantial portion of passengers were pregnant women, stranded infants, and elderly persons taken on humanitarian grounds.[348][346]
7–8 May 2020 234 0   Singapore Changi International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport The flight to Delhi, AI 381, was slightly delayed. Hotels throughout Delhi were prepared to quarantine the evacuees.[349]
12 May 2020 177/179   Dubai International Airport Mangalore International Airport 20 passengers later tested positive for the virus.[350]

Phase II

This phase started on 17 May and ended on 10 June.[e][354][355] The scope of evacuations was expanded to cover more European and Central Asian countries.[337] It is planned that over 30,000 Indian nationals will be brought back to India through 149 flights from 40 countries in this phase.[356][357]

Departure date Inbound evacuees Outbound evacuees[d] Foreign destination Indian destination Notes
28 May 2020 230 (est.)   Bangladesh Tripura
Assam
Meghalaya
Evacuation done over land.[358]

Phase III

This phase started on 11 June with scheduling over 300 flights from 50 countries. This phase is planned to include private airlines.[359][360]

Phase IV

The fourth phase of Vande Bharat Mission will start on 3 July. This phase will be mainly focused on Gulf Countries and Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. A total of 1050 flights will be scheduled. Out of the 1050 flights, 750 flights will be operated by Indian-based private airlines and rest of them will be operated by Air India Express.[361][362] Air India will commence phase 4 on 4 July.[363] Air India will operate additional flights from India to Europe and the United States from 22 July 2020 to 31 July 2020 under Vande Bharat Mission[364]

Phase V

The 5th phase began on 1 August 2020 until 31 August 2020, with over 700 flights to 53 countries planned.[365][366] Air India operated more flights to the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the UAE and more.[367][368] Out of these flights, was ill-fated Air India Express Flight 1344, which crashed and killed 21 aboard.[369]

Phase VI

The Phase 6 of Vande Bharat Mission has start on 1 September and India has operated a total of 1059 flights from Afghanistan, Bahrain, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, UK and USA.

Phase VII

The phase 7 of the Vande Bharat mission was operationalized in Oct 2020 and more than 1000 international flights have been scheduled from 19 countries under this phase during the course of October. Under the phase 7 of Vande Bharat Mission India has operated flights from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, UAE, UK and USA.

Samudra Setu II

[370]

In support of the nation's fight against COVID-19 and as part of operation 'Samudra Setu II', seven Indian Naval ships viz. Kolkata, KochiTalwar, Tabar, Trikand, Jalashwa and Airavat have been deployed for shipment of liquid medical oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and associated medical equipment from various countries.

INS Kolkata and INS Talwar, mission deployed in Persian Gulf, were the first batch of ships that were immediately diverted for the task and entered port of Manama, Bahrain on 30 April 2021.

INS Talwar, with 40 MT Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) embarked, is headed back home.

INS Kolkata has proceeded to Doha, Qatar for embarking medical supplies and will subsequently head to Kuwait for embarking Liquid Oxygen tanks.

Similarly, on the Eastern seaboard, INS Airavat too has been diverted for the task, while INS Jalashwa, the LPD which played a key role during op Samudra Setu last year was pulled out of maintenance, readied and sailed out to augment the effort.

INS Airavat is scheduled to enter Singapore for embarking Liquid oxygen tanks and INS Jalashwa is standing by in the region to embark medical stores at short notice.

The second batch of ships comprising Kochi, Trikand and Tabar mission deployed in Arabian sea have also been diverted to join the national effort.

Domestic

According to Indian Railways, over 1,000,000 migrant workers along with their families were taken home on Shramik Special (shramik is Hindi for "labour") trains.[371] For the most part, state governments are taking responsibility to arrange the travel of workers back home.[372] The state of Uttarakhand, a huge source of migrant workers, has had 130,000 applications from residents wishing to get back home.[373]

Reception

The fees levied to passengers have presented a significant barrier to Indians who want to evacuate but did not have enough money to go home.[374] For example, in both the Middle East[375] and domestically in India,[376] migrant workers have not been paid for several weeks, making it difficult for them to afford evacuation flights, trains, and buses. Passengers also raised complaints about inadequate payment and reservation infrastructure for the Vande Bharat mission, with worries about security and the 30-minute time limit to pay.[377]

The mission notably excluded the state of West Bengal. In response, a state minister accused the MEA of discrimination, while Piyush Goyal claimed that the state government had not confirmed quarantine arrangements and that 3,700 people had registered to return there.[378] A couple days later, an evacuation flight from Dhaka, Bangladesh to the state capital Kolkata was confirmed.[379]

The plight of domestic migrant workers in particular caught the attention of media across the world, as the lockdown meant that they could not return home easily after losing their jobs and images of workers walking to their native places became widespread.[380][381][382] Negative comparisons have been made between the situation of many domestic migrants and Indians abroad: Shekhar Gupta criticized the media and Narendra Modi for focusing on the Vande Bharat Mission and thus the more affluent at the expense of the working class,[383] and some politicians criticised the central government for not focusing on migrant workers enough.[384][385]

After March, minors born abroad with OCI status or Indian visas were not allowed to travel with their Indian citizen parents back to India due to the earlier suspension of all visas for the country.[386][387] In response, some MEA officials have proposed allowing some OCIs to be eligible for the flights as well.[388]

Incidents

Air India Express Flight 1344

One of the flights under the mission, Air India Express Flight 1344 from Dubai International Airport to Calicut International Airport, skidded off the runway and crashed into a gorge, killing 21 out of the 190 people on board.[389]

Air India Flight AI-312 27-Aug Fiasco

On 26 August, Indians including women and children were not allowed to board the Air India flight AI-312 to Incheon (South Korea) at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (New Delhi) without prior information. More than 180 Indian passengers bought ticket to fly from India to Korea to join their families, universities and jobs.

These passengers reached Delhi airport from different cities of India. But hours before the boarding they were informed that they are not allowed to board the flight due to some approval issues with South Korea. All passengers were forced to return to their home cities.[390]

Impact

Displacement of migrant workers

 
Stranded migrant workers during fourth phase of lockdown in Delhi
 
Stranded migrant workers line up in Mumbai

The 2020 lockdown left tens of millions of migrant workers unemployed.[391][392] With factories and workplaces shut down, many migrant workers were left with no livelihood.[393] They thus decided to walk hundreds of kilometres to go back to their native villages, accompanied by their families in many cases.[394][395] In response, the central and state governments took various measures to help them.[396][397] The central government then announced that it had asked state governments to set up immediate relief camps for the migrant workers returning to their native states,[398] and later issued orders protecting the rights of the migrants.[399][400]

In its report to the Supreme Court of India on 30 March 2020, the central government stated that the migrant workers, apprehensive about their survival, moved in the panic created by fake news that the lockdown would last for more than three months.[401][402] In early May, the central government permitted the Indian Railways to launch "Shramik Special" trains for the migrant workers and others stranded,[403] but this move had its own complications.[404] On 26 May, the Supreme Court admitted that the problems of the migrants had still not been solved and ordered the Centre and States to provide free food, shelter and transport to stranded migrant workers.[405]

Drug shortages

In January 2020, Indian pharma companies raised the issue that drug supplies could be hit if the pandemic situation in China became worse.[406] India sources about 70% of its pharmaceutical ingredients from China.[407] In March 2020, India restricted export of 26 pharmaceutical ingredients; this restriction pointed to impending global shortages.[407] During the second wave of the pandemic in India shortages of certain drugs caused some COVID-19 patients to go to the black market.[408][409][410] In April 2021, other important COVID-19 related drugs also faced lowered stocks and sharp rise in cost of raw materials.[411][412]

Education

On 16 March 2020, the union government ordered the closure of schools and colleges.[413] On 18 March, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) released revised guidelines for examination centers incorporating social distancing measures.[414] On 19 March, CBSE and JEE examinations for the Indian Institutes of Technology and other engineering college admissions were postponed.[415] States across the country postponed or cancelled school examinations; younger students were either automatically promoted or promoted based on prior performance.[416][417][418] The Union Public Service Commission also postponed the interview for the Civil Services Examination.[419] Only a few educational institutions in India have been able to effectively adapt to e-learning and remote learning; the digital divide is further impacted by serious electricity issues and lack of internet connectivity.[420][421][422]

Economy

Due to limited social movement restrictions during the second wave relative to lockdown measures during the first wave, the economic impact of the second wave to date is less severe than that of the first wave. Socio-economic indicators such as power demand, labour participation, and railway freight traffic fell less during the second wave as compared to the first wave.[423] The first wave has strengthened domestic economic resilience, visible during the second wave, despite the severity of the second wave.[424] The Indian Finance Ministry, in their Monthly Economic Review for April 2021 released on 7 May 2021, wrote that "economic activity has learnt to operate 'with Covid'".[425] Since the beginning of the pandemic in India, poverty has increased, and livelihoods have been affected.[426] The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had projected a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 6.2% during 2019-2020, whereas after the outbreak of covid-19, the RBI revised the expected growth GDP downwards to 4.8%, indicating that the Indian economy has received a severe negative impact due to the pandemic. [427]

A study by the Azim Premji University in May 2021 found that women who were in the workforce before the pandemic were seven times more likely to be laid off than men. And when it came to those who had already lost their jobs, women were 11 times more likely than men not to return to work.[428]

 
Impact of COVID-19 on National Stock Exchange of India NIFTY 50 (1 Jan 2020 to 19 May 2020). "The NIFTY 50 is NSE's benchmark broad based stock market index for the Indian equity market."
 
Indices: S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) 500 (1 January 2015 to 1 April 2021). Post March 2020 is highlighted in blue.

Indian stock markets witnessed a flash crash on 2 March 2020 on the back of the Union Health Ministry's announcement of two new confirmed cases.[429] On 12 March 2020, Indian stock markets suffered their worst crash since June 2017 after WHO's declaration of the outbreak as a pandemic.[430] On 23 March 2020, stock markets in India posted its worst losses in history.[431] SENSEX fell 4000 points (13.15%) and NSE NIFTY fell 1150 points (12.98%).[432] However, on 25 March 2020, one day after a complete 21-day lock-down was announced by the Prime Minister, SENSEX posted its biggest gains in over a decade.[433][434] The domestic stock markets have been in a positive rally from October 2020 to April 2021.[435]

Freedom of expression

On 25 April 2021 the government confirmed that it had made an emergency order requiring at least 100 social media posts to be removed by Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which included posts that it believed were misinformation, inducing panic among the public, or obstructing the response to the pandemic. This included critical tweets by West Bengal Minister of Labour and Law Moloy Ghatak, filmmaker and journalist Vinod Kapri, MP Revanth Reddy, and actor Viineet Kumar.[436][437][438]

On 30 April 2021, in a suo moto case regarding the government's response to the pandemic, a Supreme Court of India bench headed by Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud commented on "free flow of information" and equated its restriction to contempt of court, "There should be free flow of information; we should hear voices of citizens. This is a national crisis. There should not be any presumption that the grievances raised on the internet are always false.[...] there should not be any kind of clampdown."[439]

On 21 May 2021, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ordered social media outlets to remove all content that "names, refers to, or implies [an] 'Indian variant' of coronavirus", under the justification that it is misinformation because the World Health Organization does not officially recognise or use the term in relation to Lineage B.1.617.[440]

Other diseases

Comparison of month-wise tuberculosis (TB) notification
between 2019 and 2020 in India.[441][442]

The attention given to fighting COVID-19 caused a reduction in attention given to other diseases such as tuberculosis, resulting in ten of thousands of deaths.[442] This has also caused a set-back to the fight against tuberculosis by over a decade.[443] The fall in tuberculosis registrations in the country fell 24% from 2019 to 2020 due to pandemic related issues.[444] Immunisation programs have been impacted, operations postponed and neglected and institutional delivery of babies decreased during the lockdown in 2020.[229]

Healthcare and frontline workers

 
Healthcare workers in Kerala during the pandemic

On 8 August 2020, Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced that 198 doctors had died due to COVID-19.[445] This number was increased to 515 by October 2020,[446][447] and 734 by 3 February 2021.[448] However, on 2 and 5 February 2021 the health ministry announced in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha respectively that 162/174 doctors, 107/116 nurses and 44 ASHA workers/199 healthcare workers had died due to COVID-19.[448][449] The figures were based on the governments "Insurance Scheme for Health Workers fighting COVID-19".[449] As of 17 April 2021, IMA put the number of deaths of doctors at 747.[450] Ten of thousands of doctors, nurses and health workers have been infected with covid.[451][450] Healthcare workers followed by frontline workers in India were provided with covid vaccinations first, starting from 16 January 2021.[452] This included 9,616,697 healthcare workers and 14,314,563 frontline workers; by May 2021 a majority of these had also been given their second dose.[453]

As per June 2021 figures of IMA, 776 doctors have died from COVID-19.[454] Karnataka Government announces plan to construct a COVID-19 Memorial.[77]

Religion

 
A priest during Durga Puja in Kolkata, October 2020

On 4 March 2020, the Prime Minister tweeted that he would not be participating in Holi programmes due to COVID-19.[455] The pandemic and subsequent lockdown resulted in numerous religious festivals being largely celebrated within homes or seeing less than normal public turnouts adhering to social distancing guidelines.[456] The Char Dham was conducted in a controlled manner; in 2020 pilgrims numbered 400,000 while the previous year had seen 3,800,000 pilgrims.[457][458] Many religious institutions adapted and connected to their devotees via livestreaming, radio and television.[459][460][461] Purported super-spreader events of a religious nature included the 2020 Tablighi Jamaat COVID-19 hotspot in Delhi,[462] and the 2021 Haridwar Kumbh Mela.[463][464] The state of Uttarakhand, where the Kumbh took place, saw an 1800% increase in COVID-19 transmission during the period when Kumbh was held.[465][466] 2021 saw numerous religious events ignoring social distancing guidelines such as Holi and Eid.[467][468]

Rural and semi-rural India

Over 70% of India's population, i.e. over 740 million people in India, live in rural areas.[469] The share of COVID cases in rural and semi-rural India increased from 40% in mid-July 2020 to 67% in August 2020.[470] This increase in covid cases was largely attributed to the movement of COVID infected migrant workers from urban areas back to their native villages.[470][471] Issues aggravating the situation in rural and semi-rural areas include a severe lack of human resources in the health field.[470] The second wave also saw migrants coming back from urbans areas, indicated by the sharp rise in employment generation through MGNREGS.[472] By May 2021, more than half the cases in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were from rural areas.[473] Another indicator of the situation in villages is the rush of villagers to semi-urban and urban areas in search of healthcare, "about 30–35 per cent of the patients in hospitals in Bhopal are from villages and small towns located within a 200 km radius. It's the same story in Indore."[474] On 16 May 2021 a UP government official confirmed the report that corpses of people who died from the virus in the rural areas had been dumped in the Ganges River due to lack of funds. Following this report, the UP state government announced that it will pay 5,000 (equivalent to 5,600 or US$70 in 2023) to poor families to cremate or bury the bodies of the dead.[475]

Transport

17 March 2020 onwards, private airlines such as IndiGo and Go First started cancelling flights.[476][477] On 19 March, the Government of India announced that no international flights will be allowed to land in India from 22 March.[478] On 23 March, the union government announced the suspension of all domestic flights in the country starting 25 March.[479] Vande Bharat Mission, a mass evacuation program, was started by the government of India to repatriate 250,000 stranded Indians around the world.[480] The Ministry of tourism in India launched Stranded in India for foreign tourists stranded in India to find information and access tourism support infrastructure. On 7 August, Air India Express Flight 1344, a repatriation flight, crashed at Calicut International Airport, killing 18.[481] Two of the survivors tested positive for COVID-19.[482]

 
 
 
(Left, Center) Social distancing signage on the Delhi Metro.
(Right) Quarantine and testing at Bengaluru Airport in April 2021.

Indian Railways took various initiatives to fight against the pandemic. Initially this included removing curtains and blankets from AC coaches,[483] hiking platform tickets,[484] and cancelling 3700 trains.[485] Metro services across India were suspended.[486] On 22 March, all train services in the country were cancelled baring goods trains, that is around 12,500 trains, and all non-essential passenger transport including interstate transport buses.[487][488] After Prime Minister Modi extended the nationwide lockdown to 3 May, Indian Railways suspended all services on its passenger trains and all ticket bookings indefinitely.[489] On 8 May, the Aurangabad railway accident occurred due to confusion related to the pandemic.[490] Public transport across the nation was affected.[491][492][493]

Other

 
Many shopkeepers have posted "Shop vaccination certificates" in their shops to create psychological ease in their visiting customers

In March 2020, there were several incidents of panic buying in India related to the pandemic.[494][495] Retailers and consumer goods firms saw their average daily sales more than double on 19 March as consumers rushed to buy essentials ahead of Modi's address to the nation.[496] Modi assured the citizens that there was enough food and ration supplies and advised them against panic buying.[497] The lockdown disrupted food supplies and threatened to trigger a food crisis.[498][499] By the first week of April, essential industries such as growing, harvesting and food deliveries were allowed to operate.[500]

A number of sporting events and fixtures in India were suspended, postponed or conducted behind closed doors such as the Indian Open badminton tournament,[501] I-League,[502] 2020 Indian Super League Final,[503][504] TCS World 10 Bengaluru, the IAAF Gold Label Road Race,[505] and a FIFA World Cup qualification match (India versus Qatar).[506] The 2020 ISSF World Cup, which was to commence on 15 March in New Delhi, was postponed.[507] On 13 March, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the opening of the 2020 IPL was postponed from 29 March to 15 April; the tournament was eventually suspended indefinitely.[508][509] The IPL was eventually play in United Arab Emirates in September and November 2020.[510] BCCI also cancelled the ODI matches between India and South Africa on 15 and 18 March, which were originally announced to be played without spectators.[511]

From 7 March 2020, the Border Security Force decided to conduct the Wagah-Attari border ceremony without any spectators.[512] The Padma Awards ceremony, scheduled for 3 April 2020, was postponed.[513] On 17 March 2020, it was announced that all historical buildings in the country would remain closed to visitors;[514] the monuments were opened to the public on 6 July 2020.[515]

The International Indian Film Academy Awards, scheduled to take place on 27 March 2020, was cancelled.[516] Cinema halls were shut down; film bodies decided to stop the production of films, TV shows and web series until 31 March 2020.[517] On 25 March 2020, all major video streaming services in the country jointly announced that they would restrict streaming of high definition video on cellular networks during the 21-day lockdown, to preserve network capacity and infrastructure.[518]

Statistics

Cases have been reported in all states and union territories.[519] Reconciliation of data has been undertaken by a number of states and union territories, significantly Maharashtra and Bihar, with respect to deaths.[520][521] Between 1 and 5 June 2021, 7.6 million tests were reconciled.[520]

Undercounting of cases and deaths

Undercounting of total cases and death figures was reported during the first wave in 2020. The discrepancies were detected by comparing official death counts released by the governments to the number of deaths reported in obituaries, at crematoria and burial grounds, etc. Some states were reported to have not added suspected cases to the final count contrary to WHO guidelines.[522][523][524] Similar undercounting was reported during the second wave in 2021.[525] There have been large gaps noted between official death figures and the sudden increase in the number of bodies being cremated and buried. Several crematoria that had been in disuse earlier were brought back into operation to keep up with the demand.[526][527]

A series of articles in The Hindu newspaper in 2021 estimated that compared to previous years, the number of additional deaths during the pandemic (known as the 'excess mortality') was about four times the official COVID death toll in Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, and could be up to ten times higher in the state of Gujarat. However, it is not clear what proportion of these are due to COVID and what are due to other factors such as overcrowding of medical facilities, lock-down, etc.[528] A report by the Center for Global Development stated that the second wave of COVID-19 in India was the "worst tragedy since the partition". The report, based on serosurveys, household data and official data, pointed towards a significant underreporting of deaths, with estimates ranging from about 1 million to 6 million deaths overall, with central estimates varying between 3.4 and 4.9 million deaths.[529][530][531]

On the evening of 11 April, two reporters from the Gujarati language newspaper Sandesh and a photojournalist staked out the mortuary of the 1,200-bed state-run COVID-19 hospital in Ahmedabad. Over 17 hours, they counted 69 body bags coming out of a single exit before they were loaded into waiting ambulances. Next day, Gujarat officially counted 55 deaths, including 20 from Ahmedabad. Again on the night of 16 April, these journalists visited 21 cremation grounds around Ahmedabad and counted more than 200 bodies, with photographic and video evidence. The next day Ahmedabad counted only 25 deaths. Similar disparities in numbers were seen on other days.[532][533] The Gujarat government denied the under-counting and stated that they were following federal protocols.[534]

A study conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, and units of Harvard University, estimated in August 2021 that more than 16,000 excess deaths had occurred in 54 municipalities in Gujarat between March 2020 and April 2021. The study used data from civil death registers in a subset of Gujarat's 162 municipalities. The authors stated that the "vast majority" of these deaths could likely be attributed directly to COVID-19. The government's estimate of the death toll from COVID-19 for the entire state was approximately 10,000 for the same period.[535][536]

As of February 2022, according to the country's federal health ministry's daily statement, the number of deaths had risen to 500,055, up 1,072 in the previous 24 hours, while the total number of infections was 41.9 million.[537]

In April 2022, The New York Times reported that India was preventing the WHO from publishing its estimate of the global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic.[538] In May 2022, the World Health Organization reported the number of Covid deaths in India to be an estimated 4.7 million mainly during a surge in May - June 2021, a figure that is almost 10 times the official number and nearly a third of the estimated global Covid deaths.[9] The figure is similar to other estimates of Indian Covid deaths, but Indian authorities have rejected these estimates and questioned the methodology used.[8][9] This WHO report reflect people who died of COVID-19 and also those who died as an indirect result of the virus. The report "accounts for deaths averted during the pandemic, for example because of the lower risk of traffic accidents during lockdowns." WHO said it was yet to fully examine new data provided by India and it may add a disclaimer due to ongoing conversation with India.[539]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ On 17 June, 1,672 backlogged deaths from Maharashtra and Delhi were added, taking reported daily deaths to 2,003.[22]
  2. ^ On 23 July, Tamil Nadu reported 528 deaths including backlogged deaths, taking reported daily deaths to 1,129.[23]
  1. ^ Health-care workers include "Health-care providers and workers in the health-care setting (public and private), including Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) workers. The group has been further divided into nine sub-groups: medical officers, nurses and supervisors, frontline health and ICDS workers, paramedical staff, support staff, medical, nursing and paramedical students, medical scientists and research staff, clerical and administrative staff and other health staff."[172]
  2. ^ Frontline Workers (FLWs) include "Personnel from State and Central Police organisation, Armed Forces, Home Guards, prison staff, disaster management volunteers, Civil Defence organisation, Municipal Workers and revenue officials engaged in surveillance and containment activities."[172] A number of states have included journalists as frontline workers.[173] Gujarat has included crematorium workers as frontline workers.[174]
  3. ^ If all passengers were Indian nationals, no other note is made.
  4. ^ a b The Indian media is focusing mostly on those returning to India, so outbound counts may go mostly unreported.
  5. ^ This is based on the Air India schedule; other sources, including the MEA, have given different timeframes.

References

  1. ^ Sheikh, Knvul; Rabin, Roni Caryn (10 March 2020). "The Coronavirus: What Scientists Have Learned So Far". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Kerala confirmed first novel coronavirus case in India". India Today. 30 January 2020.
  3. ^ Reid, David (30 January 2020). "India confirms its first coronavirus case". CNBC. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Ritchie, Hannah; Mathieu, Edouard; Rodés-Guirao, Lucas; Appel, Cameron; Giattino, Charlie; Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban; Hasell, Joe; Macdonald, Bobbie; Beltekian, Diana; Dattani, Saloni; Roser, Max (2020–2022). "Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)". Our World in Data. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Home | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare | GOI". mohfw.gov.in. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b "India coronavirus: New record deaths as virus engulfs India". BBC News. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  7. ^ Multiple sources:
    • Yeung, Jessie (28 April 2021). "As Covid sweeps India, experts say cases and deaths are going unreported". CNN.
    • Gettleman, Jeffrey; Yasir, Sameer; Kumar, Hari; Raj, Suhasini; Loke, Atul (24 April 2021). "As Covid-19 Devastates India, Deaths Go Undercounted". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
    • "India COVID patients 'die due to oxygen shortage'". AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES. 3 May 2021.
  8. ^ a b Biswas, Soutik (5 May 2022). "Why India's real Covid toll may never be known". BBC.
  9. ^ a

covid, pandemic, india, part, worldwide, pandemic, coronavirus, disease, 2019, covid, caused, severe, acute, respiratory, syndrome, coronavirus, sars, december, 2023, according, indian, government, figures, india, second, highest, number, confirmed, cases, wor. The COVID 19 pandemic in India is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 COVID 19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARS CoV 2 As of 6 December 2023 according to Indian government figures India has the second highest number of confirmed cases in the world after the United States of America with 45 001 764 4 reported cases of COVID 19 infection and the third highest number of COVID 19 deaths after the United States and Brazil at 533 298 4 deaths 6 7 In October 2021 the World Health Organization estimated 4 7 million excess deaths both directly and indirectly related to COVID 19 to have taken place in India 8 9 COVID 19 pandemic in IndiaCOVID 19 cases per 100 000 people by state as of 18 May 2021Map of confirmed casesMap of confirmed casesMap of active casesMap of active casesMap of confirmed deathsMap of deaths due to the pandemicDiseaseCOVID 19Virus strainSARS CoV 2LocationIndiaFirst outbreakWuhan Hubei China 1 Index caseThrissur Kerala 2 10 31 39 N 76 12 52 E 10 5276 N 76 2144 E 10 5276 76 2144Date30 January 2020 3 years ago 30 January 2020 ongoing 3 years 10 months and 6 days 3 Confirmed cases45 001 764 4 Recovered42 604 881Deaths533 298 4 Fatality rate1 19 Territories28 states and 8 union territories 5 Vaccinations1 027 420 185 4 total people vaccinated 951 987 002 4 people fully vaccinated 2 206 750 581 4 vaccine doses given Government websitewww wbr mohfw wbr gov wbr in www wbr mygov wbr in wbr covid 19The first cases of COVID 19 in India were reported on 30 January 2020 in three towns of Kerala among three Indian medical students who had returned from Wuhan the epicenter of the pandemic 10 11 12 Lockdowns were announced in Kerala on 23 March and in the rest of the country on 25 March Infection rates started to drop in September 13 Daily cases peaked mid September with over 90 000 cases reported per day dropping to below 15 000 in January 2021 14 A second wave beginning in March 2021 was much more devastating than the first with shortages of vaccines hospital beds oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies in parts of the country 14 By late April India led the world in new and active cases On 30 April 2021 it became the first country to report over 400 000 new cases in a 24 hour period 15 6 Experts stated that the virus may reach an endemic stage in India rather than completely disappear 16 in late August 2021 Soumya Swaminathan said India may be in some stage of endemicity where the country learns to live with the virus 17 India began its vaccination programme on 16 January 2021 with AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield and the indigenous Covaxin 18 19 Later Sputnik V and the Moderna vaccine was approved for emergency use too 20 On 30 January 2022 India announced that it administered about 1 7 billion doses of vaccines and more than 720 million people were fully vaccinated 21 Contents 1 Timeline 1 1 2020 1 2 2021 Second wave 1 3 2022 1 4 2023 2 Response 2 1 Health care and testing 2 1 1 Initial testing 2 1 2 Expansion of tests 2 1 3 Testing community transmission 2 1 4 Daily samples tested 2 1 5 Research and treatment 2 1 6 Vaccine development and production 2 1 7 Vaccination policy and distribution 2 2 Immediate relief 2 2 1 Welfare 2 2 2 Economic relief and stimulus package 2 3 Lockdowns 2 3 1 First wave Nation wide 2 3 2 Second wave State wise and localized 2 4 Administration committees and task forces 2 5 Pseudoscience practices 2 6 Military 2 7 Private sector 2 8 International 2 8 1 International support 2 9 Response shortages and criticism 3 Evacuations by India related to the COVID 19 pandemic 3 1 Background 3 1 1 COVID 19 pandemic 3 1 2 Migration 3 1 3 Previous evacuations 3 2 International 3 2 1 January April 2020 3 2 2 May 2020 present Vande Bharat Mission 3 2 3 Phase I 3 2 4 Phase II 3 2 5 Phase III 3 2 6 Phase IV 3 2 7 Phase V 3 2 8 Phase VI 3 2 9 Phase VII 3 2 10 Samudra Setu II 3 3 Domestic 3 4 Reception 3 5 Incidents 3 5 1 Air India Express Flight 1344 3 5 2 Air India Flight AI 312 27 Aug Fiasco 4 Impact 4 1 Displacement of migrant workers 4 2 Drug shortages 4 3 Education 4 4 Economy 4 5 Freedom of expression 4 6 Other diseases 4 7 Healthcare and frontline workers 4 8 Religion 4 9 Rural and semi rural India 4 10 Transport 4 11 Other 5 Statistics 5 1 Undercounting of cases and deaths 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksTimelineMain articles Timeline of the COVID 19 pandemic in India January May 2020 Timeline of the COVID 19 pandemic in India June December 2020 and Timeline of the COVID 19 pandemic in India 2021 nbsp This article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information August 2022 COVID 19 cases in India vte Deaths Recoveries Active cases Date of cases of deaths2020 01 30 1 n a 0 n a 1 2020 02 02 2 100 0 n a 2020 02 03 3 50 0 n a 3 2020 02 21 3 0 n a 3 2020 03 02 5 67 0 n a 2020 03 03 6 20 0 n a 2020 03 04 28 367 0 n a 2020 03 05 30 7 1 0 n a 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563 0 13 2021 07 17 31 063 995 0 12 413 123 0 14 2021 07 18 31 105 278 0 13 413 640 0 13 2021 07 19 31 143 608 0 12 414 141 0 12 2021 07 20 31 173 028 0 09 414 513 0 09 2021 07 21 31 215 156 0 14 418 511 0 96 2021 07 22 31 256 839 0 13 419 021 0 12 2021 07 23 31 291 706 0 11 419 502 0 11 2021 07 24 31 331 207 0 13 420 044 0 13 2021 07 25 31 371 493 0 13 420 585 0 13 2021 07 26 31 409 672 0 12 420 996 0 1 2021 07 27 31 440 492 0 1 421 414 0 1 2021 07 28 31 483 463 0 14 422 055 0 15 2021 07 29 31 526 628 0 14 422 695 0 15 2021 07 30 31 571 299 0 14 423 244 0 13 2021 07 31 31 612 798 0 13 423 842 0 14 2021 08 01 31 654 741 0 13 424 384 0 13 2021 08 02 31 695 370 0 13 424 808 0 1 Source Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 2020 On 12 January 2020 the WHO confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan Hubei China which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019 24 On 30 January 2020 India reported its first case of COVID 19 in Thrissur Kerala 10 which rose to three cases by 3 February 2020 all were students returning from Wuhan 25 Apart from these no significant rise in transmissions was observed in February On 4 March 22 new cases were reported including 14 infected members of an Italian tourist group 26 Transmissions increased over the month after several people with travel history to affected countries and their contacts tested positive On 12 March a 76 year old man with a travel history to Saudi Arabia became the first COVID 19 fatality of India 27 nbsp Cases nbsp Deaths A Sikh preacher who had a travel history to Italy and Germany turned into a superspreader by attending a Sikh festival in Anandpur Sahib during 10 12 March 28 29 30 Over 40 000 people in 20 villages in Punjab were quarantined on 27 March to contain the spread 29 31 On 31 March a Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation event in Delhi which had taken place earlier in March emerged as a COVID 19 hotspot 32 On 2 May around 4 000 stranded pilgrims returned from Hazur Sahib in Nanded Maharashtra to Punjab Many of them tested positive including 27 bus drivers and conductors who had been part of the transport arrangement 33 In July 2020 it was estimated based on antibody tests that at least 57 of the inhabitants of Mumbai s slums may have been infected with COVID 19 at some point 34 A government panel on COVID 19 stated in October 2020 that the pandemic had peaked in India and could come under control by February 2021 35 This prediction was based on a mathematical simulation referred to as the Indian Supermodel assuming that India reaches herd immunity 36 That month a new SARS CoV 2 variant Lineage B 1 617 was detected in the country 37 2021 Second wave See also Timeline of the COVID 19 pandemic in April 2021 nbsp India s two waves versus Delhi s four waves in the same time period taking into account daily COVID 19 casesIndia began its vaccination programme on 16 January 2021 38 On 19 January 2021 nearly a year after the first reported case in the country Lakshadweep became the last region of India to report its first case 39 By February 2021 daily cases had fallen to 9 000 per day 40 41 However by early April 2021 a major second wave of infections took hold in the country with destructive consequences 42 on 9 April India surpassed 1 million active cases 43 and by 12 April India overtook Brazil as having the second most COVID 19 cases worldwide 44 By late April India passed 2 5 million active cases and was reporting an average of 300 000 new cases and 2 000 deaths per day Some analysts feared this was an undercount 45 On 30 April India reported over 400 000 new cases and over 3 500 deaths in one day 46 Multiple factors have been proposed to have potentially contributed to the sudden spike in cases including highly infectious variants of concern such as Lineage B 1 617 47 48 a lack of preparations as temporary hospitals were often dismantled after cases started to decline and new facilities were not built 49 50 and health and safety precautions being poorly implemented or enforced during weddings 51 festivals such as Holi on 29 March 52 53 and the Haridwar Kumbh Mela which was linked to at least 1 700 positive cases between 10 and 14 April including cases in Hindu seers 54 55 sporting events such as IPL 56 state and local elections in which politicians and activists have held in several states 57 and in public places 52 53 An economic slowdown put pressure on the government to lift restrictions 58 and there had been a feeling of exceptionalism based on the hope that India s young population and childhood immunisation scheme would blunt the impact of the virus 58 Models may have underestimated projected cases and deaths due to the under reporting of cases in the country 59 58 Due to high demand the vaccination programme began to be hit with supply issues exports of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine were suspended to meet domestic demand 60 there have been shortages of the raw materials required to manufacture vaccines domestically 61 while hesitancy and a lack of knowledge among poorer rural communities has also impacted the programme 60 38 41 The second wave placed a major strain on the healthcare system 52 including a shortage of liquid medical oxygen due to ignored warnings which began in the first wave itself 62 63 logistic issues and a lack of cryogenic tankers 64 On 23 April Modi met via videoconference with liquid oxygen suppliers including Reliance SAIL JSW Tata Steel JSPL AMNS LINDE INOX Air Products and Air Water Jamshedpur where he acknowledged the need to provide solutions in a very short time and acknowledged efforts such as increases in production and the use of rail 65 and air transport to deliver oxygen supplies 66 67 A large number of new oxygen plants were announced 68 the installation burden being shared by the center coordination with foreign countries with regard to oxygen plants received in the form of aid and DRDO 69 A number of countries sent emergency aid to India in the form of oxygen supplies medicines raw material for vaccines and ventilators 70 This reflected a policy shift in India comparable aid offers had been rejected during the past sixteen years 71 72 The number of new cases had begun to steadily drop by late May on 25 May the country reported 195 994 new cases its lowest daily increase since 13 April However the mortality rate has remained high 73 by 24 May India recorded over 300 000 deaths attributed to COVID 19 74 Around 100 000 deaths had occurred in the last 26 days and 50 000 in the last 12 75 In May 2021 WHO declared that two variants first found in India will be referred to as Delta and Kappa 76 The state of Karnataka announced a COVID 19 memorial later that spring to honour healthcare professionals who had succumbed to the virus 77 On 25 August 2021 Soumya Swaminathan said that India may be entering some kind of stage of endemicity where there is low level transmission or moderate level transmission going on but nothing as severe as before in other words India is learning to live with the virus 17 India announced a mandatory 10 day quarantine on travellers arriving from United Kingdom irrespective of their vaccination status starting 4 October 2021 after United Kingdom also put the same restrictions on travellers from India by not recognizing India s vaccine certificate 78 On 8 October the United Kingdom opened up the restrictions on travelers from 47 countries and locations including India 79 2022 By March India had just 22 487 cases across the country With 58 8 population fully vaccinated and 70 having received at least one dose opening up post pandemic has been steady Buoyed by the success of its vaccination program among senior citizens adults and adolescents the vaccination program is now inoculating children in the 12 15 age group Further the central government has urged state governments to end all COVID curbs except masks and social distancing International flights were resumed on 27 March after a gap of two years 80 81 2023 On 22 March 2023 Prime Minister Modi held a high level meeting to discuss the nation s preparedness for a new wave of infections potentially driven by the newly detected SARS CoV 2 strain XBB 1 16 Active cases had reached a 5 month high as of 23 March and came amid an ongoing H3N2 influenza outbreak prompting officials to determine the readiness of the healthcare system and its logistical needs 82 83 In response to the rising number of cases some hospitals reopened Covid wards that had previously been shuttered following a yearlong lull in infections 84 In August a new subvariant of Omicron named Eris was detected in the state of Maharashtra with cases increasng in a few cities 85 ResponseMain articles Indian government response to the COVID 19 pandemic and Indian state government responses to the COVID 19 pandemic See also Template COVID 19 testing by country Health care and testing COVID 19 Dashboard Total samples tested 86 68 24 28 595Total positive cases 3 36 78 786New samples tested 11 54 302New Positive cases 26 248New Positivity Rate 2 5 Total active cases 171 830Total deaths 4 82 017Total recovered cases 3 43 06 414Total Doses administered 87 1 46 70 18 464People vaccinated 1st dose 88 86 12 38 061People vaccinated 2nd dose 61 63 65 612As of 5 January 2022 18 nbsp Do s amp Don ts of COVID 19 released by the Government of India nbsp A passenger being tested for COVID 19 at the New Delhi railway station during the second wave of the pandemicThe Union Health Ministry s war room and policy making team in New Delhi decide how coronavirus should be tackled in the country and consists of the ministry s Emergency Medical Response Unit the Central Surveillance Unit IDSP the National Centre for Disease Control NCDC and experts from three government hospitals among others 89 In March 2020 India s strategy was focused on cluster containment similar to how India contained previous epidemics as well as breaking the chain of transmission 89 90 52 labs were named capable of virus testing by 13 March 91 On 14 March 2020 scientists at the National Institute of Virology NIV isolated a strain of the novel coronavirus India was the fifth country to successfully obtain a pure sample of the virus 92 isolation of the virus would help towards expediting the development of drugs vaccines and rapid diagnostic kits in the country 93 NIV shared two SARS CoV 2 genome sequences with GISAID 94 In May the NIV introduced another test kit for rapid testing 95 Initial testing nbsp A testing facility at the National Centre for Disease Control in DelhiInitially the labs tested samples only from those with a travel history to 12 countries designated as high risk or those who had come in contact with anyone testing positive for the coronavirus or showing symptoms as per the government guidelines 96 97 On 20 March 2020 the government decided to also include all pneumonia cases regardless of travel or contact history 98 99 On 9 April ICMR further revised the testing strategy and allowed testing of the people showing symptoms for a week in the hotspot areas of the country regardless of travel history or local contact to a patient 100 While the health ministry claimed enough tests were being performed 99 experts disagreed saying that community transmission may go undetected 101 Expansion of tests On 17 March 2020 the health ministry decided to allow accredited private pathology labs to test for COVID 19 102 A person could get a COVID 19 test at a private lab after a qualified physician in a government facility recommended it 103 Experts said this increased testing may ultimately result in a correction of the current under counting and an increase in confirmed cases 104 111 additional labs for testing became functional on 21 March 105 On 24 March Mylab Discovery Solutions became the first Indian company to have received regulatory validation for its RT PCR tests 106 107 In April Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology Delhi had developed a low cost paper strip test that could detect COVID 19 within an hour Each test would cost 500 00 equivalent to 590 or US 7 40 in 2023 108 On 13 April ICMR advised pool testing in low infection areas to increase the capacity of the testing and save resources In this process maximum five samples are tested at once and samples are tested individually only if a pool tests positive 109 Faulty test kits from China were subsequently returned and future orders cancelled 110 111 112 113 By 9 July 2020 1132 testing labs were functional Following testing shortages non accredited private laboratories applying for accreditation were also given permission to test for coronavirus 114 In September 2020 India had attained the highest number of daily tests in the world 115 By 5 May 2021 2506 testing labs government and private were functional and the total daily national testing capacity reached 1 500 000 tests 116 Testing community transmission Testing for community transmission began on 15 March 2020 65 government laboratories started testing random samples of people who exhibit flu like symptoms and samples from patients without any travel history or contact with infected persons 117 118 As of 18 March no evidence of community transmission was found after results of 500 random samples tested negative 119 Between 15 February and 2 April 5 911 SARI Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses patients were tested throughout the country of which 104 tested positive 1 8 in 20 states and union territories About 40 of the identified patients did not have a travel history or any history of contact with a positive patient 120 The ICMR advised to prioritise containment in the 36 districts of 15 states which had reported positive cases among SARI patients 121 In April 2020 WHO placed India in the community transmission stage however in June moved India to clusters of cases 122 In October 2020 the health minister admitted to community transmission limited to some states and districts 123 Until May 2021 India insisted that clusters of cases remained and there was no nationwide community transmission 124 Daily samples tested Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki wiki Research and treatment nbsp NITI Aayog health member Vinod K Paul Secretary Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Rajesh Bhushan and other officials addressing a press conference on COVID 19 in New Delhi on 13 October 2020 On 23 March the National Task Force for COVID 19 constituted by the ICMR recommended the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of high risk cases 125 126 In the same month the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research CSIR and Cipla launched a joint venture to develop anti COVID 19 drugs 127 128 In April funds for a number of preventive agents were released to initiate research 129 130 The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology started working on genome sequencing of COVID 19 in early 2020 131 India was estimated to have approximately 40 000 ventilators in March 2020 of which 8 432 were with the public sector 132 The government aimed to double the capacity of ventilators by June 2020 133 with the assistance from Indian PSUs firms and startups including Bharat Electronics DRDO and ISRO 134 This led to the creation of some of the world s smallest and cheapest ventilators 135 Production lines were repurposed to manufacture general Personal protective equipment full body suits and ventilators India was producing around 200 000 PPE kits and 250 000 N95 masks per day in May 2020 compared to virtually zero shortly before 136 Several states were allowed by ICMR and Drugs Controller General of India DCGI to start clinical trials of convalescent plasma therapy and plasma exchange therapy 137 Initial optimism around plasma therapy 138 139 resulted in ICMR stating that there is no robust evidence to support convalescent plasma therapy as a routine therapy describing it is as an emerging and experimental therapy 140 Convalescent plasma therapy was dropped form the COVID 19 treatment protocol by ICMR in mid May 2021 141 142 In June 2020 India approved the repurposing of generic versions of the antiviral medication favipiravir for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID 19 symptoms by Glenmark Cipla and the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology and Lupin Limited 143 In July 2020 the Indian firm Biocon received emergency authorisation for the use of the repurposed drug Itolizumab in treatments for chronic plaque psoriasis one of the symptoms of the disease 144 On 23 April 2021 Cadila Healthcare received an emergency authorisation to repurpose Peginterferon alfa 2b a medication used to treat hepatitis C as a treatment for moderate COVID 19 in adults 145 On 8 May 2021 DCGI gave permission for emergency use of the drug 2 Deoxy D glucose developed by DRDO in collaboration with Dr Reddy s Laboratories as an adjunct or alternative therapy for treating moderate to severe cases of COVID 19 146 By April 2021 the latest treatment guidelines mirrored those of the WHO and the United States with the important exception that in India mildly ill patients were allowed to be given Hydroxychloroquine or Ivermectin 42 This potential off label prescription seems to have taken off in some parts of India Kavery Nambisan an Indian surgeon said that a doctor in Kandivali Mumbai has treated thousands of patients with ivermectin 147 Vaccine development and production The Indian government infused 900 crore equivalent to 11 billion or US 130 million in 2023 into the Department of Biotechnology in November 2020 to aid the development of a COVID vaccine 148 The 2021 budget of India also allocated 35 000 crore equivalent to 410 billion or US 5 2 billion in 2023 for vaccine procurement 149 In January 2021 the DCGI initially approved the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India SII under the trade name Covishield 150 151 and BBV152 Covaxin a vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology 152 The approval of Covaxin was met with some concern as the vaccine had not then completed phase 3 trials 153 Due to this status those receiving Covaxin were required to sign a consent form 154 while some states chose to relegate Covaxin to a buffer stock and primarily distribute the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine 155 Following the conclusion of its trial the DCGI issued a standard emergency use authorisation to Covaxin in March 2021 156 The slogan Dawai Bhi Kadai Bhi trnsl Vaccination and Precautions both are necessary was used by the Indian Government In April 2021 the DCGI approved the Russian Sputnik V vaccine which was trialled in India by Dr Reddy s Laboratories 157 158 The initial shipment of 150 million Sputnik V doses arrived on 1 May and began to be administered on 14 May 159 Domestic manufacturing of Sputnik V is expected to begin by August 2021 with doses imported from Russia being used in the meantime 160 161 In May 2021 the DCGI approved phase 2 and 3 trials of Covaxin among children 2 18 162 In late June 2021 after the DCGI removed a requirement that all COVID 19 vaccines must be trialed locally before approval notwithstanding any approval and wide use in other major countries the DCGI approved the Moderna vaccine for emergency use 163 20 Vaccination policy and distribution nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Top left A healthcare worker administering a COVID 19 vaccine dose in AIIMS New Delhi on 16 January 2021 Top right Frontline workers in Bihar filling COVID19 vaccination cards in May 2021 Bottom left A COVID19 vaccination queue in Nagpur Maharashtra on 1 May 2021 Bottom right A vaccination center in Bhopal Main article COVID 19 vaccination in India Administratively India began preparing to vaccinate its population in April 2020 with the setting up a Vaccine Task Force 164 Following this the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID 19 NEGVAC was formed 165 and in October 2020 states were asked to set up state level mechanisms for the COVID 19 vaccine programme 166 and prepare cold chains points 167 168 A communication strategy for the vaccination programme was also revealed by the health ministry in January 2021 targeting issues such as vaccine eagerness and hesitancy 169 India started out with a vaccination policy targeting 300 million people based on occupation and age group to be completed a time period of six months by August 2021 170 171 Phase 1 started on 16 January 2021 and targeted 10 million health workers a first followed by 20 million frontline workers b 175 176 Phase 1 was to be completed by 31 March 177 176 On 3 April registrations for this group was closed 178 67 of health frontline workers received at least one dose taking into account registered health and frontline workers the number of fully vaccinated is 47 177 179 Phase 2 began on 1 March 2021 to cover 45 year old s with co morbidities and 60 year old s 176 On 1 April vaccinations were opened for everyone above 45 years 176 Shortages in vaccine supplies were evident in March 180 On 19 March 2021 in the Lok Sabha the health minister of India stated that It is not necessary scientifically to give each and every person in the country the vaccine Not each and every person in the world will be vaccinated The prioritisation process is a dynamic process 181 Phase 3 of the vaccination campaign was opened up to include all eligible adults 18 from 1 May 2021 following a surge in cases in April a second wave 182 177 This expansion resulted in immediate increased and prolonged vaccine shortages 171 nbsp India s COVID 19 vaccination deployment until 3 JuneChanges in procurement policies the liberalised vaccination policy 183 182 and differential pricing further complicated the situation 184 185 Global vaccine obligations of India were also severely affected including those with south Asian neighbours 186 and 190 countries associated with COVAX 187 188 By 22 October 2021 India delivered 1 Billion doses for COVID 19 out of which 700 million were single doses and 300 million were double doses 189 According to a 2022 modelling study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal over 4 2 million lives were saved in India in 2021 due to vaccination against COVID 19 190 Immediate relief nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Various sanitisation methods were adopted Welfare On 19 March 2020 Kerala announced a stimulus package of 20 000 crore equivalent to 240 billion or US 2 9 billion in 2023 to help the state overcome both the COVID 19 epidemic and economic hardship caused by it 191 On 21 March Uttar Pradesh announced 1 000 equivalent to 1 200 or US 15 in 2023 to all daily wage labourers 192 On 22 March Punjab announced 3 000 equivalent to 3 500 or US 44 in 2023 to all registered construction workers 193 A number of states and union territories went on to announce free and increased rations for ration card holders 194 Karnataka announced 1 610 crore equivalent to 19 billion or US 240 million in 2023 relief for unorganised sectors including flower growers washer men and women barbers construction workers auto and cab drivers MSMEs and weavers 195 The Delhi government announced that if a doctor nurse or hygiene worker dies during treatment their family will be provided 10 million US 130 000 196 The Union government also announced the distribution of rations 197 Economic relief and stimulus package Main article Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan A food security scheme part of wider economic relief package of 1 7 lakh crore equivalent to 2 0 trillion or US 25 billion in 2023 was announced by the center on 26 March 2020 This also included direct cash transfer primarily for migrant labourers and daily wage labourers and free gas cylinders for three months 198 This was followed by RBI cutting repo rates injecting liquidity and permitting banks to provide a moratorium on all loans for three months 199 Payment of taxes was relaxed and states were provided with short term credit via increased ways and means advances limits 199 Pending wages of daily wage labourers under Mgnrega scheme were released 200 On 12 May the Prime Minister announced an economic package of 20 lakh crore equivalent to 24 trillion or US 290 billion in 2023 this included previous government actions including the RBI announcements and the Finance Ministers announcement on 26 March 201 202 On 12 October and 12 November the government announced two more economic stimulus packages bringing the total economic stimulus to 29 87 lakh crore equivalent to 35 trillion or US 440 billion in 2023 203 15 000 crore equivalent to 180 billion or US 2 2 billion in 2023 was sanctioned for the health sectors response to COVID 19 204 nbsp India s in red government stringency during the COVID 19 pandemic according to the Oxford COVID 19 Government Response Stringency Index The stringency index includes schools workplaces public events gatherings public transport public information campaigns stay at home policy internal movement international travel testing policy contract tracing face coverings and vaccination policy 205 206 207 208 On 12 June 2021 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced to reduce the GST tax rates on the equipments medicines masks sanitizers etc which are being using for the treatment of COVID 19 209 Lockdowns Main article COVID 19 lockdown in India First wave Nation wide nbsp Special provisions inserted in the Epidemic Diseases Act as a result of COVID 19 spreadThe Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and Disaster Management Act 2005 was invoked in mid March 2020 210 211 All commercial domestic and international flights were suspended in March 212 199 A number of cities and states announced that they would restrict public gatherings dine in restaurants or order the closure of various non essential businesses through 31 March to slow the spread of COVID 19 213 On 19 March 2020 Prime Minister Modi asked all Indians to observe a 14 hour Janata curfew people s curfew on 22 March and to thank essential workers by clapping or ringing bells at 5 p m outside their homes 214 215 The curfew was used to evaluate the feasibility of a national lockdown 216 217 On 24 March with 519 confirmed cases and 9 deaths in the country 218 the Prime Minister announced that India would be placed under a total lockdown for at least three weeks All non critical businesses and services were ordered closed except for hospitals grocery stores and pharmacies and there was a total ban on leaving the home for non essential purposes All public transport was suspended 219 217 On 16 April districts were divided into zones using a colour coded tier system based on incidence rates classified as a Red hotspot Orange or Green little to no transmission zone All of India s major cities fell into Red zones 220 221 Beginning 20 April agricultural businesses and stores selling farming supplies were allowed to resume operation as well as public works programmes cargo transport and banks and government centres distributing benefits 222 Phase 3 223 and 4 of the lockdown extended until 31 May with incremental relaxations and changes 224 225 The country began a phased lifting of restrictions on 8 June 226 This phased lifting of restrictions continued in a series of unlocks which extended into November 2020 212 227 228 The government was criticised for not using the lockdown to prepare the health system for when the lockdown would be lifted 229 Second wave State wise and localized Cities in Maharashtra such as Amravati and Nagpur started imposing curfew restrictions and lockdown measures in late February and early to mid March 2021 230 231 On 4 April Maharashtra imposed a weekend lockdown and night curfew among other restrictions 232 By early to mid May 35 of 36 of India s states and union territories had some form of state wide and localised restriction 233 234 The second wave of the pandemic in India has seen no nationwide lockdown 233 234 Phased unlocking was announced starting June in Delhi Tamil Nadu Maharashtra Uttar Pradesh and a number of other states 235 Administration committees and task forces India s covid response is being guided by a number of committees empowered groups advisory groups and task forces Some of these were formed before the pandemic such as the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation NTAGI India s apex advisory body on immunization 236 and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme IDSP under the National Centre for Disease Control 237 IDSP was brought in as early as 17 January 2020 238 239 Some of these were constituted following the onset of the pandemic such as the ICMR COVID 19 Task Force 240 The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID 19 NEGVAC formed in August 2020 would guide the national vaccine delivery strategy 165 In October 2020 NEGVAC advice resulted in the formation of a three tier state level mechanism for the implementation of the vaccine strategy 166 The overall response has been led by the Prime Minister and his office at least 67 review meetings have been held by it between January 2020 and May 2021 237 Table of EGs Task Forces and Committees Formation Date Name Members Notes Ref20203 Feb Group of Ministers GOM on COVID 19 Chaired by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan On 17 May 2021 the 26th meeting of the GOM was held 241 242 29 Mar 11 Empowered Groups Representatives from the Prime Minister s Office and the cabinet secretariat Headed by Secretary level officers NITI Aayog members including Amitabh Kant Set up under Disaster Management Act 2005 11 empowered groups set up to ensure quick decision making related to the pandemic and coordinate response 243 7 April National Task Force for COVID 19 ICMR COVID 19 Task Force Headed by VK Paul Randeep Guleria and Balram Bhargava Set up by ICMR terms of reference includes identifying research priorities review evidence align research with level of outbreak and response identify and create protocol develop concept notes and identify partners for implementation 240 237 14 April Vaccine Task Force Co chaired by VK Paul and PSA K VijayRaghavan Set up by the Prime Minister s Office until 3 May 2021 23 meetings of the VTF have been held 164 31 May National COVID 19 Supermodel Committee M Vidyasagar Manindra Agrawal Lt Gen Madhuri Kanitkar Biman Bagchi Arup Bose Gagandeep Kang Sankar K Pal Set up under the Department of Science and Technology forecasting and modelling related to the pandemic 244 12 Aug National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID 19 NEGVAC Headed by VK Paul and Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan Vaccine delivery strategy 165 245 14 Sep 6 Empowered Groups reconstituted Headed by V K Paul Guruprasad Mahapatra Amitabh Kant Tarun Bajaj Ajay Bhalla The 11 empowered groups set up on 29 March 2020 were reconstituted into 6 EGs The groups had also undergone modification in May 2020 246 247 248 26 Oct State Steering Committee State District Urban Block Task Forces Chaired by Chief Secretary Principal Secretary Health District Magistrate Municipal Commissioner SDM BDO respectively Following NEGVAC advice the union government asked the states to form state specific mechanisms in preparation for the implementation of the COVID 19 vaccination drive 166 249 250 25 Dec Indian SARS CoV 2 Consortium on Genomics INSACOG Ten laboratories of Department of Biotechnology MoST CSIR ICMR and MoHFW To monitor the genomic variations in the SARS CoV 2 on a regular basis through a multi laboratory network 251 252 20219 May National Task Force Devi Shetty Gagandeep Kang Naresh Trehan Saumitra Rawat Shiv Kumar Sarin Zarir Udwadia Set up by the Supreme Court of India to facilitate a public health response to the pandemic based on scientific and specialised domain knowledge and oxygen related issues 253 Others MoHFW s National Media Rapid Response Cell NMRRC 254 Pseudoscience practices Despite no scientific evidence behind the use of animal products to boost immunity against COVID 19 some individuals sought out traditional or religiously inspired methods One such method involved scrubbing oneself in cow dung and urine followed by rinsing off in cow milk or buttermilk on a weekly basis at cow shelters Other methods involved consumption of cow dung and urine Proponents of these pseudoscience preventative methods also occasionally consumed cow urine to boost immunity against SARS CoV 2 and some Indian healthcare professionals likewise participated in these rituals Cow dung and urine were promoted as effective treatment for COVID 19 by many religious leaders medical professionals other key opinion leaders and government officials 255 Military The Indian military has supported the Indian government s response during the pandemic 256 During the second wave some of the steps taken by the Indian military to help the fight against the pandemic includes setting up of COVID facilities 257 setting up of oxygen PSA plants 258 providing domestic and international air and water transport assistance 258 256 providing medical assistance to civilians providing nursing assistance and truck drivers 256 providing support to centre and states as requested 256 roping in retired military medics 259 providing manpower with specialised skills 260 and roping in the National Cadet Corps 258 The three armed forces were functioning under Operation CO JEET 261 Operation Samudra Setu 1 which was officially conducted between 5 May 2020 and 8 July 2020 and focused on repatriation and Samudra Setu 2 in 2021 focused on oxygen related transport 262 263 Private sector In March April 2020 several companies and organisations donated masks and other pandemic related supplies 264 Several large business groups contributed to the PM CARES Fund 265 Leading Indian corporates have come forward to provide support to hospitals across the country 266 This includes procuring setting up and maintaining cryogenic tanks medical equipment and ventilators 267 Business leaders in India have also set up COVID 19 facilities 268 The chief executive officers of 40 US companies set up a global task force to collaborate on procuring equipment to support India 269 Ola is providing doorstep delivery of medical oxygen 270 International International supportThe Indian government provided around 65 5 million doses of covid vaccines to 95 countries between 20 January 2021 and late March 2021 10 5 million doses were gifted while the remaining were commercial and COVAX obligations 271 nbsp International support to India during the second waveInternational support has been provided to India since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 272 In late April 2021 international relief being transported to India increased 273 European countries such as France Ireland Belgium Romania Luxembourg Portugal and Sweden sent pandemic related aid such as oxygen concentrators ventilators and medicines 274 France and Germany also sent oxygen plants Germany also sent 12 army paramedics to operate the plants 275 276 Oxygen related equipment was shipped from Bahrain Thailand Singapore 277 Saudi Arabia 278 and the United Kingdom 279 Russia United States of America and UNICEF sent various relief material including oxygen producing units 280 272 281 In April 2021 Taiwan sent 150 oxygen machines to India The oxygen machines had been purchased by the Taiwanese government and modified for India s electrical voltage 282 Other countries to have provided support include Bhutan 283 Bangladesh 284 Kuwait 285 Kenya 286 Turkiye Switzerland Poland Netherlands and Israel 287 On 5 May 2021 Indian External Affairs Minister said that What you describe as aid we call friendship in response to foreign support during the pandemic 288 On 16 April China sent 650 000 testing kits to India 289 but their use was discontinued in view of a very low accuracy 112 113 There were international concerns related to how the support being sent to India is being used 290 291 By 5 May India had received 5 769 442 items in aid 292 Support between 27 April and 14 May included 10 796 oxygen concentrators 12 269 oxygen cylinders 19 oxygen generation plants 6 497 ventilators more than 4 2 lakh Remdesivir vials 293 The government released the institutions and the states to which the support had been sent 294 295 292 Response shortages and criticism The role of the National Centre for Disease Control during the COVID 19 pandemic has been questioned including the subdued sharing of data collected by the IDSP 296 Disease surveillance in India through IDSP faces perpetual shortage of funds and manpower resulting in a weak nationwide data collection system 297 The IDSP does not track deaths taking place outside hospitals 298 or deaths due to COVID 19 of those not tested 299 one of the many reasons under counting is built into the system The lack of epidemiologists in senior decision making positions of COVID 19 related committees has been evident 296 including the absence of state level epidemiologists in a number of states 300 In April 2020 the health ministry asked states to go on a hiring spree and fill vacancies for epidemiologists 301 Indian Council of Medical Research has been criticised for did not updating the treatment protocol for COVID 19 between July 2020 and April 2021 302 The National Task Force for COVID 19 did not meet during February and March despite members claiming it was obvious a second wave was in the making 302 A number of warnings pertaining to a surge in cases in March shortages in life saving equipment and a second wave were downsized and went unheeded 303 A number of problems were found with the forecasting and modelling by the National COVID 19 Supermodel Committee by independent commentators 304 In early May 2021 the committee said that they hadn t been able to predict the second wave accurately 305 306 A lot of problems with India s failing response to the second wave was the general and long term issues of the public health system in India 297 Evacuations by India related to the COVID 19 pandemicThroughout the COVID 19 pandemic the central and state governments of India coordinated numerous international and domestic evacuations Background COVID 19 pandemic SARS CoV 2 was first identified in the city of Wuhan Hubei China in mid December 2019 when a group of people developed a pneumonia without clear causes and existing treatments were found to be ineffective The coronavirus has similar characteristics to severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome MERS with the resulting disease being named COVID 19 Within a number of weeks several thousand people in Hubei s provincial capital of Wuhan were infected and the Chinese central government imposed strict containment measures including a lockdown of Hubei itself 307 As the virus spread worldwide more countries also instilled their own lockdowns and put travel restrictions into place In response many nations evacuated their citizens as well as other nationals to transport them home India was no exception to control the COVID 19 pandemic in the country all visas were suspended from 13 March 308 and international flights were suspended nine days later from 22 March 309 India had started a national lockdown on 25 March which restricted the movement of people in the country 310 Migration See also Indian migrant workers during the COVID 19 pandemic The Indian diaspora is the largest in the world with the UN estimating their size at 17 5 million in 2019 311 The Ministry of External Affairs has higher figures with the number of Non resident Indians or NRIs Indian citizens who do not live in the country on a regular enough basis to pay income tax alone being over 13 million 312 In addition India also has a substantial population of internal migrant workers with Reuters estimating that there are 100 million such workers 313 Previous evacuations India has conducted several large scale evacuations in modern times particularly in the Middle East where there is a high concentration of Indians and several conflicts in recent history 314 The 1990 airlift of Indians from Kuwait has been recognized as the world s largest civilian airlift with over 110 000 people evacuated 315 Domestically Operation Rahat which the Indian Air Force claimed was the biggest civilian helicopter evacuation ever 316 airlifted over 19 600 people from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh during the 2013 North India floods 317 International January April 2020 After the lockdown in Hubei the government owned flag carrier Air India flew to Wuhan to evacuate Indian citizens particularly students stranded there As cases spiked in Italy and Iran the latter country of which some pilgrims had been stuck in efforts were shifted to evacuate Indians from Milan where Air India already flew before the pandemic and Iranian cities These flights were free for passengers 318 Departure date Evacuees Nationalities c Departure airport Arrival airport Notes1 February 2020 324 nbsp 324 nbsp Wuhan Tianhe International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport This was India s first evacuation flight 319 There were three minors 211 students and 110 working professionals and the flight was operated by Air India 320 321 2 February 2020 330 nbsp 323 nbsp 7 This was India s second flight All passengers were quarantined in Delhi and Manesar Haryana 322 27 February 2020 111 nbsp 76 nbsp 23 nbsp 6 nbsp 2 nbsp 2 nbsp 1 nbsp 1 nbsp 1 This was the third evacuation flight sent by India to Wuhan India also provided 15 tonnes of medical assistance comprising masks gloves and other emergency medical equipment to China through the same Indian Air Force flight 323 324 27 February 2020 124 nbsp 119 nbsp 2 nbsp 1 nbsp 1 nbsp 1 nbsp Tokyo Narita International Airport This flight mostly had crew members of the Diamond Princess as passengers 325 10 March 2020 58 nbsp 58 nbsp Tehran unknown airport Hindon Airport The Indian Air Force used a C 17 Globemaster transport aircraft to evacuate Indian pilgrims from Iran 326 11 March 2020 83 nbsp 74 nbsp 6 nbsp 3 nbsp Milan Malpensa Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport The flight was operated by Air India All the non Indian citizens were of Indian origin All evacuees were placed under quarantine for 14 days 327 15 March 2020 218 nbsp 218 Indira Gandhi International Airport Air India operated the flight The evacuees brought to New Delhi will be shifted to Indo Tibetan Border Police s camp in Chhawla area where they will be quarantined for 14 days 328 15 March 2020 234 nbsp 234 nbsp Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport 131 students and 103 pilgrims among others were evacuated from Iran on a Mahan Air flight organized by the Indian Embassy They were quarantined for 14 days in Indian Army s wellness centre facility in Jaisalmer 329 330 16 March 2020 53 nbsp 53 nbsp Tehran and Shiraz Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport Jaisalmer Airport 52 students and 1 teacher were evacuated by Air India and were then quarantined at an Army Wellness Centre in Jaisalmer 331 22 March 2020 263 nbsp 263 nbsp Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport Evacuated by Air India from Rome Italy and then were quarantined at Indo Tibetan Border Police s camp near Delhi 332 29 March 2020 275 nbsp 275 nbsp Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport Jodhpur Airport After preliminary screening they were quarantined at Army Wellness Centre Jodhpur 333 May 2020 present Vande Bharat Mission The Indian government initiated a massive evacuation program called Vande Bharat Mission on 7 May 2020 334 This involved flights via Air India and its low cost arm Air India Express 335 In the first three phases of the mission the government did not allow private airlines to participate though they have been allowed to participate in the fourth phase onwards The government continues to set the fare determine the routes and decide the number of flights 336 Over 67 000 evacuation requests were registered by MEA by 8 May 337 twenty days later the number of registrations had increased to over 300 000 It was initially predicted that the total number of civilians evacuated could surpass the Kuwait airlift with estimates ranging from 192 000 to 250 000 338 339 314 On 6 August the MEA declared that almost 950 000 Indians were repatriated 340 As well as evacuating Indian nationals back to the country certain flights will also evacuate anyone who wants to leave provided they are a national permanent resident or have a visa valid for at least one year 341 Unlike previous evacuations passengers have to pay for their journey with fares ranging from 15 000 US 190 for the Gulf states to 100 000 US 1 300 for the United States 342 Phase I nbsp Schedule of Vande Bharat Mission phase 1Phase one which was conducted from 7 17 May mostly targeted areas with high concentrations of Indians It was predicted that this phase would feature a total of 64 flights half of which were for the Gulf states as well as two naval ships for Indians in the Maldives under the label Samudra Setu Sea Bridge 341 343 344 The MEA gave a higher number of 84 flights which may have been due to counting domestic connections on the same plane as a separate flight As of 15 May All India Radio reported that 56 flights had been conducted 345 Departure date Inbound evacuees Outbound evacuees d Foreign destination Indian destination Notes7 May 2020 177 nbsp Abu Dhabi International Airport Cochin International Airport First flight under the mission 346 Three passengers on the flight to Kochi later tested positive for COVID 19 347 7 May 2020 177 nbsp Dubai International Airport Calicut International Airport A substantial portion of passengers were pregnant women stranded infants and elderly persons taken on humanitarian grounds 348 346 7 8 May 2020 234 0 nbsp Singapore Changi International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport The flight to Delhi AI 381 was slightly delayed Hotels throughout Delhi were prepared to quarantine the evacuees 349 12 May 2020 177 179 nbsp Dubai International Airport Mangalore International Airport 20 passengers later tested positive for the virus 350 On 9 May Air India flight carrying 129 passengers from Dhaka Bangladesh landed at Delhi airport Air India flight with 180 Indians from Sharjah reached Lucknow Air India flight from Kuwait with 163 adults and four infants landed in Hyderabad with 163 nationals on board Also 177 Indians from Kuala Lampur reach Trichy in Tamil Nadu The second flight from Singapore landed at Mumbai with 243 Indians 180 Indian nationals including three children from Dubai arrived at Chennai 351 On 10 May INS Jalashwa with 700 Indian nationals from the Maldives arrived at the Kochi Port This was an operation of the Indian Navy called Operation Samudra Setu On 10 May 326 Indian nationals from London landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai 177 passengers from Kuala Lumpur landed at Kochi 117 Indians from Kuwait landed at Chennai 351 On 11 May 323 Indians from London landed at Bangalore 118 Indians stranded in San Francisco landed at Hyderabad Air India flight 1387 carrying Indians from Manila arrived in Mumbai 352 353 Phase II This phase started on 17 May and ended on 10 June e 354 355 The scope of evacuations was expanded to cover more European and Central Asian countries 337 It is planned that over 30 000 Indian nationals will be brought back to India through 149 flights from 40 countries in this phase 356 357 Departure date Inbound evacuees Outbound evacuees d Foreign destination Indian destination Notes28 May 2020 230 est nbsp Bangladesh TripuraAssamMeghalaya Evacuation done over land 358 Phase III This phase started on 11 June with scheduling over 300 flights from 50 countries This phase is planned to include private airlines 359 360 Phase IV The fourth phase of Vande Bharat Mission will start on 3 July This phase will be mainly focused on Gulf Countries and Singapore Thailand and Malaysia A total of 1050 flights will be scheduled Out of the 1050 flights 750 flights will be operated by Indian based private airlines and rest of them will be operated by Air India Express 361 362 Air India will commence phase 4 on 4 July 363 Air India will operate additional flights from India to Europe and the United States from 22 July 2020 to 31 July 2020 under Vande Bharat Mission 364 Phase V The 5th phase began on 1 August 2020 until 31 August 2020 with over 700 flights to 53 countries planned 365 366 Air India operated more flights to the United States France Germany the United Kingdom the UAE and more 367 368 Out of these flights was ill fated Air India Express Flight 1344 which crashed and killed 21 aboard 369 Phase VI The Phase 6 of Vande Bharat Mission has start on 1 September and India has operated a total of 1059 flights from Afghanistan Bahrain Cambodia Canada China France Germany Jordan Kuwait Malaysia Maldives Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore Thailand UAE UK and USA Phase VII The phase 7 of the Vande Bharat mission was operationalized in Oct 2020 and more than 1000 international flights have been scheduled from 19 countries under this phase during the course of October Under the phase 7 of Vande Bharat Mission India has operated flights from Australia Bahrain Canada France Germany Israel Japan Kenya Kuwait Malaysia Maldives Myanmar Nigeria Oman Qatar Singapore UAE UK and USA Samudra Setu II 370 In support of the nation s fight against COVID 19 and as part of operation Samudra Setu II seven Indian Naval ships viz Kolkata Kochi Talwar Tabar Trikand Jalashwa and Airavat have been deployed for shipment of liquid medical oxygen filled cryogenic containers and associated medical equipment from various countries INS Kolkata and INS Talwar mission deployed in Persian Gulf were the first batch of ships that were immediately diverted for the task and entered port of Manama Bahrain on 30 April 2021 INS Talwar with 40 MT Liquid Medical Oxygen LMO embarked is headed back home INS Kolkata has proceeded to Doha Qatar for embarking medical supplies and will subsequently head to Kuwait for embarking Liquid Oxygen tanks Similarly on the Eastern seaboard INS Airavat too has been diverted for the task while INS Jalashwa the LPD which played a key role during op Samudra Setu last year was pulled out of maintenance readied and sailed out to augment the effort INS Airavat is scheduled to enter Singapore for embarking Liquid oxygen tanks and INS Jalashwa is standing by in the region to embark medical stores at short notice The second batch of ships comprising Kochi Trikand and Tabar mission deployed in Arabian sea have also been diverted to join the national effort Domestic According to Indian Railways over 1 000 000 migrant workers along with their families were taken home on Shramik Special shramik is Hindi for labour trains 371 For the most part state governments are taking responsibility to arrange the travel of workers back home 372 The state of Uttarakhand a huge source of migrant workers has had 130 000 applications from residents wishing to get back home 373 Reception The fees levied to passengers have presented a significant barrier to Indians who want to evacuate but did not have enough money to go home 374 For example in both the Middle East 375 and domestically in India 376 migrant workers have not been paid for several weeks making it difficult for them to afford evacuation flights trains and buses Passengers also raised complaints about inadequate payment and reservation infrastructure for the Vande Bharat mission with worries about security and the 30 minute time limit to pay 377 The mission notably excluded the state of West Bengal In response a state minister accused the MEA of discrimination while Piyush Goyal claimed that the state government had not confirmed quarantine arrangements and that 3 700 people had registered to return there 378 A couple days later an evacuation flight from Dhaka Bangladesh to the state capital Kolkata was confirmed 379 The plight of domestic migrant workers in particular caught the attention of media across the world as the lockdown meant that they could not return home easily after losing their jobs and images of workers walking to their native places became widespread 380 381 382 Negative comparisons have been made between the situation of many domestic migrants and Indians abroad Shekhar Gupta criticized the media and Narendra Modi for focusing on the Vande Bharat Mission and thus the more affluent at the expense of the working class 383 and some politicians criticised the central government for not focusing on migrant workers enough 384 385 After March minors born abroad with OCI status or Indian visas were not allowed to travel with their Indian citizen parents back to India due to the earlier suspension of all visas for the country 386 387 In response some MEA officials have proposed allowing some OCIs to be eligible for the flights as well 388 Incidents Air India Express Flight 1344 Main article Air India Express Flight 1344 One of the flights under the mission Air India Express Flight 1344 from Dubai International Airport to Calicut International Airport skidded off the runway and crashed into a gorge killing 21 out of the 190 people on board 389 Air India Flight AI 312 27 Aug Fiasco On 26 August Indians including women and children were not allowed to board the Air India flight AI 312 to Incheon South Korea at the Indira Gandhi International Airport New Delhi without prior information More than 180 Indian passengers bought ticket to fly from India to Korea to join their families universities and jobs These passengers reached Delhi airport from different cities of India But hours before the boarding they were informed that they are not allowed to board the flight due to some approval issues with South Korea All passengers were forced to return to their home cities 390 ImpactDisplacement of migrant workers Main article Indian migrant workers during the COVID 19 pandemic nbsp Stranded migrant workers during fourth phase of lockdown in Delhi nbsp Stranded migrant workers line up in MumbaiThe 2020 lockdown left tens of millions of migrant workers unemployed 391 392 With factories and workplaces shut down many migrant workers were left with no livelihood 393 They thus decided to walk hundreds of kilometres to go back to their native villages accompanied by their families in many cases 394 395 In response the central and state governments took various measures to help them 396 397 The central government then announced that it had asked state governments to set up immediate relief camps for the migrant workers returning to their native states 398 and later issued orders protecting the rights of the migrants 399 400 In its report to the Supreme Court of India on 30 March 2020 the central government stated that the migrant workers apprehensive about their survival moved in the panic created by fake news that the lockdown would last for more than three months 401 402 In early May the central government permitted the Indian Railways to launch Shramik Special trains for the migrant workers and others stranded 403 but this move had its own complications 404 On 26 May the Supreme Court admitted that the problems of the migrants had still not been solved and ordered the Centre and States to provide free food shelter and transport to stranded migrant workers 405 Drug shortages See also Shortages related to the COVID 19 pandemicIn January 2020 Indian pharma companies raised the issue that drug supplies could be hit if the pandemic situation in China became worse 406 India sources about 70 of its pharmaceutical ingredients from China 407 In March 2020 India restricted export of 26 pharmaceutical ingredients this restriction pointed to impending global shortages 407 During the second wave of the pandemic in India shortages of certain drugs caused some COVID 19 patients to go to the black market 408 409 410 In April 2021 other important COVID 19 related drugs also faced lowered stocks and sharp rise in cost of raw materials 411 412 Education Main article Impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on education On 16 March 2020 the union government ordered the closure of schools and colleges 413 On 18 March Central Board of Secondary Education CBSE released revised guidelines for examination centers incorporating social distancing measures 414 On 19 March CBSE and JEE examinations for the Indian Institutes of Technology and other engineering college admissions were postponed 415 States across the country postponed or cancelled school examinations younger students were either automatically promoted or promoted based on prior performance 416 417 418 The Union Public Service Commission also postponed the interview for the Civil Services Examination 419 Only a few educational institutions in India have been able to effectively adapt to e learning and remote learning the digital divide is further impacted by serious electricity issues and lack of internet connectivity 420 421 422 Economy Main article Economic impact of the COVID 19 pandemic in India See also Economic impact of the COVID 19 pandemic Due to limited social movement restrictions during the second wave relative to lockdown measures during the first wave the economic impact of the second wave to date is less severe than that of the first wave Socio economic indicators such as power demand labour participation and railway freight traffic fell less during the second wave as compared to the first wave 423 The first wave has strengthened domestic economic resilience visible during the second wave despite the severity of the second wave 424 The Indian Finance Ministry in their Monthly Economic Review for April 2021 released on 7 May 2021 wrote that economic activity has learnt to operate with Covid 425 Since the beginning of the pandemic in India poverty has increased and livelihoods have been affected 426 The Reserve Bank of India RBI had projected a Gross Domestic Product GDP growth rate of 6 2 during 2019 2020 whereas after the outbreak of covid 19 the RBI revised the expected growth GDP downwards to 4 8 indicating that the Indian economy has received a severe negative impact due to the pandemic 427 A study by the Azim Premji University in May 2021 found that women who were in the workforce before the pandemic were seven times more likely to be laid off than men And when it came to those who had already lost their jobs women were 11 times more likely than men not to return to work 428 nbsp Impact of COVID 19 on National Stock Exchange of India NIFTY 50 1 Jan 2020 to 19 May 2020 The NIFTY 50 is NSE s benchmark broad based stock market index for the Indian equity market nbsp Indices S amp P Bombay Stock Exchange BSE 500 1 January 2015 to 1 April 2021 Post March 2020 is highlighted in blue Indian stock markets witnessed a flash crash on 2 March 2020 on the back of the Union Health Ministry s announcement of two new confirmed cases 429 On 12 March 2020 Indian stock markets suffered their worst crash since June 2017 after WHO s declaration of the outbreak as a pandemic 430 On 23 March 2020 stock markets in India posted its worst losses in history 431 SENSEX fell 4000 points 13 15 and NSE NIFTY fell 1150 points 12 98 432 However on 25 March 2020 one day after a complete 21 day lock down was announced by the Prime Minister SENSEX posted its biggest gains in over a decade 433 434 The domestic stock markets have been in a positive rally from October 2020 to April 2021 435 Freedom of expression Main article Censorship in India On 25 April 2021 the government confirmed that it had made an emergency order requiring at least 100 social media posts to be removed by Facebook Instagram and Twitter which included posts that it believed were misinformation inducing panic among the public or obstructing the response to the pandemic This included critical tweets by West Bengal Minister of Labour and Law Moloy Ghatak filmmaker and journalist Vinod Kapri MP Revanth Reddy and actor Viineet Kumar 436 437 438 On 30 April 2021 in a suo moto case regarding the government s response to the pandemic a Supreme Court of India bench headed by Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud commented on free flow of information and equated its restriction to contempt of court There should be free flow of information we should hear voices of citizens This is a national crisis There should not be any presumption that the grievances raised on the internet are always false there should not be any kind of clampdown 439 On 21 May 2021 the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ordered social media outlets to remove all content that names refers to or implies an Indian variant of coronavirus under the justification that it is misinformation because the World Health Organization does not officially recognise or use the term in relation to Lineage B 1 617 440 Other diseases Main article Impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on other health issues Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki wiki Comparison of month wise tuberculosis TB notification between 2019 and 2020 in India 441 442 The attention given to fighting COVID 19 caused a reduction in attention given to other diseases such as tuberculosis resulting in ten of thousands of deaths 442 This has also caused a set back to the fight against tuberculosis by over a decade 443 The fall in tuberculosis registrations in the country fell 24 from 2019 to 2020 due to pandemic related issues 444 Immunisation programs have been impacted operations postponed and neglected and institutional delivery of babies decreased during the lockdown in 2020 229 Healthcare and frontline workers Main article Impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on healthcare workers nbsp Healthcare workers in Kerala during the pandemicOn 8 August 2020 Indian Medical Association IMA announced that 198 doctors had died due to COVID 19 445 This number was increased to 515 by October 2020 446 447 and 734 by 3 February 2021 448 However on 2 and 5 February 2021 the health ministry announced in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha respectively that 162 174 doctors 107 116 nurses and 44 ASHA workers 199 healthcare workers had died due to COVID 19 448 449 The figures were based on the governments Insurance Scheme for Health Workers fighting COVID 19 449 As of 17 April 2021 IMA put the number of deaths of doctors at 747 450 Ten of thousands of doctors nurses and health workers have been infected with covid 451 450 Healthcare workers followed by frontline workers in India were provided with covid vaccinations first starting from 16 January 2021 452 This included 9 616 697 healthcare workers and 14 314 563 frontline workers by May 2021 a majority of these had also been given their second dose 453 As per June 2021 figures of IMA 776 doctors have died from COVID 19 454 Karnataka Government announces plan to construct a COVID 19 Memorial 77 Religion Main article Impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on religion nbsp A priest during Durga Puja in Kolkata October 2020On 4 March 2020 the Prime Minister tweeted that he would not be participating in Holi programmes due to COVID 19 455 The pandemic and subsequent lockdown resulted in numerous religious festivals being largely celebrated within homes or seeing less than normal public turnouts adhering to social distancing guidelines 456 The Char Dham was conducted in a controlled manner in 2020 pilgrims numbered 400 000 while the previous year had seen 3 800 000 pilgrims 457 458 Many religious institutions adapted and connected to their devotees via livestreaming radio and television 459 460 461 Purported super spreader events of a religious nature included the 2020 Tablighi Jamaat COVID 19 hotspot in Delhi 462 and the 2021 Haridwar Kumbh Mela 463 464 The state of Uttarakhand where the Kumbh took place saw an 1800 increase in COVID 19 transmission during the period when Kumbh was held 465 466 2021 saw numerous religious events ignoring social distancing guidelines such as Holi and Eid 467 468 Rural and semi rural India Over 70 of India s population i e over 740 million people in India live in rural areas 469 The share of COVID cases in rural and semi rural India increased from 40 in mid July 2020 to 67 in August 2020 470 This increase in covid cases was largely attributed to the movement of COVID infected migrant workers from urban areas back to their native villages 470 471 Issues aggravating the situation in rural and semi rural areas include a severe lack of human resources in the health field 470 The second wave also saw migrants coming back from urbans areas indicated by the sharp rise in employment generation through MGNREGS 472 By May 2021 more than half the cases in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were from rural areas 473 Another indicator of the situation in villages is the rush of villagers to semi urban and urban areas in search of healthcare about 30 35 per cent of the patients in hospitals in Bhopal are from villages and small towns located within a 200 km radius It s the same story in Indore 474 On 16 May 2021 a UP government official confirmed the report that corpses of people who died from the virus in the rural areas had been dumped in the Ganges River due to lack of funds Following this report the UP state government announced that it will pay 5 000 equivalent to 5 600 or US 70 in 2023 to poor families to cremate or bury the bodies of the dead 475 Transport 17 March 2020 onwards private airlines such as IndiGo and Go First started cancelling flights 476 477 On 19 March the Government of India announced that no international flights will be allowed to land in India from 22 March 478 On 23 March the union government announced the suspension of all domestic flights in the country starting 25 March 479 Vande Bharat Mission a mass evacuation program was started by the government of India to repatriate 250 000 stranded Indians around the world 480 The Ministry of tourism in India launched Stranded in India for foreign tourists stranded in India to find information and access tourism support infrastructure On 7 August Air India Express Flight 1344 a repatriation flight crashed at Calicut International Airport killing 18 481 Two of the survivors tested positive for COVID 19 482 nbsp nbsp nbsp Left Center Social distancing signage on the Delhi Metro Right Quarantine and testing at Bengaluru Airport in April 2021 Indian Railways took various initiatives to fight against the pandemic Initially this included removing curtains and blankets from AC coaches 483 hiking platform tickets 484 and cancelling 3700 trains 485 Metro services across India were suspended 486 On 22 March all train services in the country were cancelled baring goods trains that is around 12 500 trains and all non essential passenger transport including interstate transport buses 487 488 After Prime Minister Modi extended the nationwide lockdown to 3 May Indian Railways suspended all services on its passenger trains and all ticket bookings indefinitely 489 On 8 May the Aurangabad railway accident occurred due to confusion related to the pandemic 490 Public transport across the nation was affected 491 492 493 Other nbsp Many shopkeepers have posted Shop vaccination certificates in their shops to create psychological ease in their visiting customersSee also Impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on sports List of events affected by the COVID 19 pandemic and Misinformation related to the COVID 19 pandemic by governments IndiaIn March 2020 there were several incidents of panic buying in India related to the pandemic 494 495 Retailers and consumer goods firms saw their average daily sales more than double on 19 March as consumers rushed to buy essentials ahead of Modi s address to the nation 496 Modi assured the citizens that there was enough food and ration supplies and advised them against panic buying 497 The lockdown disrupted food supplies and threatened to trigger a food crisis 498 499 By the first week of April essential industries such as growing harvesting and food deliveries were allowed to operate 500 A number of sporting events and fixtures in India were suspended postponed or conducted behind closed doors such as the Indian Open badminton tournament 501 I League 502 2020 Indian Super League Final 503 504 TCS World 10 Bengaluru the IAAF Gold Label Road Race 505 and a FIFA World Cup qualification match India versus Qatar 506 The 2020 ISSF World Cup which was to commence on 15 March in New Delhi was postponed 507 On 13 March the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI announced that the opening of the 2020 IPL was postponed from 29 March to 15 April the tournament was eventually suspended indefinitely 508 509 The IPL was eventually play in United Arab Emirates in September and November 2020 510 BCCI also cancelled the ODI matches between India and South Africa on 15 and 18 March which were originally announced to be played without spectators 511 From 7 March 2020 the Border Security Force decided to conduct the Wagah Attari border ceremony without any spectators 512 The Padma Awards ceremony scheduled for 3 April 2020 was postponed 513 On 17 March 2020 it was announced that all historical buildings in the country would remain closed to visitors 514 the monuments were opened to the public on 6 July 2020 515 The International Indian Film Academy Awards scheduled to take place on 27 March 2020 was cancelled 516 Cinema halls were shut down film bodies decided to stop the production of films TV shows and web series until 31 March 2020 517 On 25 March 2020 all major video streaming services in the country jointly announced that they would restrict streaming of high definition video on cellular networks during the 21 day lockdown to preserve network capacity and infrastructure 518 StatisticsSee also Statistics of the COVID 19 pandemic in India Cases have been reported in all states and union territories 519 Reconciliation of data has been undertaken by a number of states and union territories significantly Maharashtra and Bihar with respect to deaths 520 521 Between 1 and 5 June 2021 7 6 million tests were reconciled 520 Undercounting of cases and deaths Main article Undercounting of COVID 19 pandemic deaths by country nbsp Wikinews has related news According to recent study deaths in India number roughly 4 million during COVID 19 pandemic Undercounting of total cases and death figures was reported during the first wave in 2020 The discrepancies were detected by comparing official death counts released by the governments to the number of deaths reported in obituaries at crematoria and burial grounds etc Some states were reported to have not added suspected cases to the final count contrary to WHO guidelines 522 523 524 Similar undercounting was reported during the second wave in 2021 525 There have been large gaps noted between official death figures and the sudden increase in the number of bodies being cremated and buried Several crematoria that had been in disuse earlier were brought back into operation to keep up with the demand 526 527 A series of articles in The Hindu newspaper in 2021 estimated that compared to previous years the number of additional deaths during the pandemic known as the excess mortality was about four times the official COVID death toll in Chennai Kolkata and Mumbai and could be up to ten times higher in the state of Gujarat However it is not clear what proportion of these are due to COVID and what are due to other factors such as overcrowding of medical facilities lock down etc 528 A report by the Center for Global Development stated that the second wave of COVID 19 in India was the worst tragedy since the partition The report based on serosurveys household data and official data pointed towards a significant underreporting of deaths with estimates ranging from about 1 million to 6 million deaths overall with central estimates varying between 3 4 and 4 9 million deaths 529 530 531 On the evening of 11 April two reporters from the Gujarati language newspaper Sandesh and a photojournalist staked out the mortuary of the 1 200 bed state run COVID 19 hospital in Ahmedabad Over 17 hours they counted 69 body bags coming out of a single exit before they were loaded into waiting ambulances Next day Gujarat officially counted 55 deaths including 20 from Ahmedabad Again on the night of 16 April these journalists visited 21 cremation grounds around Ahmedabad and counted more than 200 bodies with photographic and video evidence The next day Ahmedabad counted only 25 deaths Similar disparities in numbers were seen on other days 532 533 The Gujarat government denied the under counting and stated that they were following federal protocols 534 A study conducted by the University of California Berkeley and units of Harvard University estimated in August 2021 that more than 16 000 excess deaths had occurred in 54 municipalities in Gujarat between March 2020 and April 2021 The study used data from civil death registers in a subset of Gujarat s 162 municipalities The authors stated that the vast majority of these deaths could likely be attributed directly to COVID 19 The government s estimate of the death toll from COVID 19 for the entire state was approximately 10 000 for the same period 535 536 As of February 2022 according to the country s federal health ministry s daily statement the number of deaths had risen to 500 055 up 1 072 in the previous 24 hours while the total number of infections was 41 9 million 537 In April 2022 The New York Times reported that India was preventing the WHO from publishing its estimate of the global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic 538 In May 2022 the World Health Organization reported the number of Covid deaths in India to be an estimated 4 7 million mainly during a surge in May June 2021 a figure that is almost 10 times the official number and nearly a third of the estimated global Covid deaths 9 The figure is similar to other estimates of Indian Covid deaths but Indian authorities have rejected these estimates and questioned the methodology used 8 9 This WHO report reflect people who died of COVID 19 and also those who died as an indirect result of the virus The report accounts for deaths averted during the pandemic for example because of the lower risk of traffic accidents during lockdowns WHO said it was yet to fully examine new data provided by India and it may add a disclaimer due to ongoing conversation with India 539 See alsoCOVID 19 pandemic death rates by country COVID 19 pandemic in South Asia SAARC COVID 19 Emergency Fund Vaccine Maitri A list of COVID 19 articles by state Template COVID 19 pandemic in India Evacuations related to the COVID 19 pandemicNotes On 17 June 1 672 backlogged deaths from Maharashtra and Delhi were added taking reported daily deaths to 2 003 22 On 23 July Tamil Nadu reported 528 deaths including backlogged deaths taking reported daily deaths to 1 129 23 Health care workers include Health care providers and workers in the health care setting public and private including Integrated Child Development Services ICDS workers The group has been further divided into nine sub groups medical officers nurses and supervisors frontline health and ICDS workers paramedical staff support staff medical nursing and paramedical students medical scientists and research staff clerical and administrative staff and other health staff 172 Frontline Workers FLWs include Personnel from State and Central Police organisation Armed Forces Home Guards prison staff disaster management volunteers Civil Defence organisation Municipal Workers and revenue officials engaged in surveillance and containment activities 172 A number of states have included journalists as frontline workers 173 Gujarat has included crematorium workers as frontline workers 174 If all passengers were Indian nationals no other note is made a b The Indian media is focusing mostly on those returning to India so outbound counts may go mostly unreported This is based on the Air India schedule other sources including the MEA have given different timeframes References Sheikh Knvul Rabin Roni Caryn 10 March 2020 The Coronavirus What Scientists Have Learned So Far The New York Times Retrieved 24 March 2020 Kerala confirmed first novel coronavirus case in India India Today 30 January 2020 Reid David 30 January 2020 India confirms its first coronavirus case CNBC Retrieved 28 March 2020 a b c d e f g Ritchie Hannah Mathieu Edouard Rodes Guirao Lucas Appel Cameron Giattino Charlie Ortiz Ospina Esteban Hasell Joe Macdonald Bobbie Beltekian Diana Dattani Saloni Roser Max 2020 2022 Coronavirus Pandemic COVID 19 Our World in Data Retrieved 6 December 2023 Home Ministry of Health and Family Welfare GOI mohfw gov in Retrieved 6 December 2023 a b India coronavirus New record deaths as virus engulfs India BBC News 2 May 2021 Retrieved 3 May 2021 Multiple sources Yeung Jessie 28 April 2021 As Covid sweeps India experts say cases and deaths are going unreported CNN Gettleman Jeffrey Yasir Sameer Kumar Hari Raj Suhasini Loke Atul 24 April 2021 As Covid 19 Devastates India Deaths Go Undercounted The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 India COVID patients die due to oxygen shortage AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES 3 May 2021 a b Biswas Soutik 5 May 2022 Why India s real Covid toll may never be known BBC a, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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