Expert disagrees with Centre's claim of Coronavirus becoming an endemic

As India continues to witness an upward trend in the daily cases, experts are now divided on when the current Covid-19 wave will reach its peak

India is currently witnessing a spike in daily Coronavirus infections. Over 10,000 cases were reported in India in a single day, with the active cases jumping to 44,998, making it the highest single-day spike since September 2022. According to experts, the current Covid wave is caused by the XBB.1.16 variant, also known as the Arcturus variant. As the nation continues to witness an upward trend in the daily cases, experts are now divided on when the current Covid-19 wave will reach its peak. 

According to a LiveMint report, while some experts are of the opinion that the wave has already peaked, others are of the view that it will reach its peak in the coming days.

 

Many experts have dismissed the government's assertion that Coronavirus has become endemic in the country. According to these experts, India has already crossed the upper limit of 'endemic prevalence'.
 

When is Covid expected to peak?

According to scientist JP Weilnad, the weekly Covid growth has already peaked, however, the outbreak is still expanding. The positivity rate is also at its highest since the January 2021 peak. 
 

India's weekly growth rate may have peaked, but outbreak is still growing. Some areas still rising quickly, not homogeneous. All still XBB.1.16 driven pic.twitter.com/f9Jf47MIB3

— JWeiland (@JPWeiland) April 11, 2023

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently claimed that Covid is now moving toward its endemic stage. The ministry also expected that the cases will increase in the next 10-12 days. It further said that the cases will come down gradually. 

Has Covid reached the endemic stage in India?

Taking to Twitter, Vipin M Vashishtha, former convenor of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics and consultant pediatrician at the Mangla Hospital and Research Centre, Bijnor, showcases different views to answer some questions about the current Covid surge.

When is the Indian Covid surge driven by XBB.1.16 going to peak?

Y’day India reported >7500 cases. Early trends point the tally would def cross 8500 today. However, there is a lot of speculations on when the current peak of the surge would peak. Let’s look for the answers 1/ pic.twitter.com/xMCqdJMC6x

— Vipin M. Vashishtha (@vipintukur) April 13, 2023

 

According to Vashishtha's tweets, some experts do not accept the current surge and believe that it is already in the endemic stage. He further added that T Jacob John, a leading Indian Virologist considers it an endemic stage as long as the daily case count remains below 6,500. 

"Now, on Wednesday, India reported more than 7500 cases, and today, over 10,000 new cases were recorded. “Since his upper limit of 'endemic prevalence' has already crossed, I don’t know what does he think now, " added Vashishtha.