New Delhi: At a time when some of the states have stated that the COVID third wave has already arrived, some health experts on Tuesday said that the COVID third wave may not hit India. Speaking to India Today, the experts said that unless hit hard by a new Covid variant, chances of a third wave battering India are now slim. They are of opinion that the country has not encountered any lineage of the new coronavirus so far after Delta wreaked havoc earlier this year. They said that the wave occurs when there is a huge surge of an infectious disease.
Professor Manindra Agrawal of IIT Kanpur said that if there is no significantly faster spreading mutant, the third wave will be a ripple.
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05 April 2025
Notably, professor Agrawal and two other experts have authored the SUTRA model that tracks the progression of Covid-19 in India. SUTRA stands for a susceptible-undetected-tested (positive)-removed approach.
It must be noted that the country has already faced two waves so far — the first in August-September of 2020 and the second starting March this year.
Professor Agrawal further told India Today that the chances of a third wave in India looked slim now. He added with the Kerala numbers expected to improve, the Covid situation would look much better in the country.
Mumbai Mayor on COVID Third wave: On the other hand, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday said a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has already arrived. “Third wave is not coming, it is already here,” she told reporters at a function. “In Nagpur, it has been already announced and everyone should take care,” she said.
Later, her office issued a press statement saying what she meant was that the third wave of COVID-19 was on the “threshold of Mumbai”.
“Given the experience of the first two waves, it is in our hands to to stop it,” she was quoted as saying.
Vaccine drive: The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said that the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 70 crore, with the last 10 crore doses being given in just 13 days. The coronavirus has to be defeated and vaccination is the way to victory, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.
“Soaring higher on COVID-19 vaccination under PM (Prime Minister) @NarendraModi ji’s leadership. 70,00,00,000 vaccine doses administered to date,” he tweeted.
Notably, the countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from February 2.
Corona cases: India on Tuesday recorded 31,222 fresh cases of coronavirus infection taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,30,58,843, while the active cases were recorded below four lakh. The death toll has climbed to 4,41,042 with 290 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 AM. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent.
The active cases have declined to 3,92,864 comprising 1.19 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.48 per cent, the ministry said.
