Increasing the number of tests has been India's strength, and the country will achieve the milestone of 10 crore tests very shortly, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 20, in his 7th address to the nation since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the COVID-19 infection rate per 10 lakh people is much higher in Brazil and the US.
While the death rate in India is 83 out of every 10 lakh population, it is more than 600 in countries like the US, Brazil, Spain, and Britain, he added.
Sharing details about the COVID-19 treatment facilities, he said the country is equipped with around 12,000 quarantine centres, over 90 lakh beds and 2,000 labs.
Prime Minister Modi's latest address comes ahead of the festive season, when, experts have warned, there could be a sharp rise in the number of positive cases, if people develop a lax attitude.
"Recently, we saw many photos and videos where it is evident that people are not careful anymore. This isn't right. If you step out without a mask, you put your family at risk. We must remember that whether it is America or Europe, cases declined and then there was a sudden rise," he said.
"Festivals are a time for joy and celebration we are coming out of a tough time and carelessness could render our fight useless," he added in a bid to remind the countrymen to follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour and norms.
In his past addresses too, the Prime Minister spoke about various measures, including lockdown to curb the spread of the pandemic and also announced economic and welfare packages.
