Dr Harsh Vardhan underlined the importance of the lockdown, which has now been extended till Mat 17
The nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases rose by a record 3,900 on Tuesday and the death count topped the 1,500-mark with nearly 200 more fatalities, even as Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said "fighting coronavirus is no rocket science" and that people may remember this pandemic as a "blessing in disguise" if they imbibe good hygiene practices.
Dr Vardhan told PTI that India has been able to stave off community transmission of COVID-19 and hoped that "behavioural changes" brought about by the infection could become the "new normal" for a healthy society after the pandemic abates.
In its 5 PM official update on the spread of the deadly virus infection, the Union Health Ministry said the death count due to COVID-19 has risen to 1,583 with 194 fatalities reported since Monday evening, while the number of cases saw a big jump of 3,875 to reach 46,711 cases.
Separately, Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also underlined the importance of the nationwide lockdown, imposed since March 24 and scheduled to remain in place till May 17, and said health should be on the radar just as much as the economy.
"The government has to do a balancing act," Dr Vardhan said on the need to focus on the health of people as well as on the economy.
He also said the nation in a post-coronavirus future could well look back on the pandemic period as a "blessing in disguise" if Indians imbibe hand, respiratory and environmental hygiene and practise it in their everyday lives.
"By now we know that fighting coronavirus is no rocket science. If behavioural changes such as hand, environmental and respiratory hygiene, which are being practiced more rigorously during this period, get imbibed in society it will become the new normal," Dr Vardhan said.