COVID-19 case doubling rate slows to 7 days in Maha: Tope

Mumbai, Apr 20 () Maharashtra Health MinisterRajesh Tope on Monday said the rate of doubling of COVID-19cases in the state has slowed down further to seven days fromfive days earlier.

In a message issued late in the evening, Tope statedthat out of the total 76,000 tests for coronavirus conductedin the state so far, Mumbai city alone accounts for more than50,000.

The rate of doubling of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtrahas slowed down further to seven days. A few days back, it wasfive days," he said.

Out of the 76,000 tests carried out for COVID-19 inthe state so far, 50,000 have been done in Mumbai city alone.This is chiefly because Mumbai has a very high number ofpositive cases," the health minister said.

He defended the state government's decision of notundertaking large-scale testing of asymptomatic people (thosenot showing signs of the viral infection).

If a person does not show symptoms, his test may comenegative. But the incubation period of the coronavirus is 14days..so he or she may develop the symptoms later.

"Hence, we are not doing asymptomatic tests in largenumbers, Tope said. NDRSY RSY