Chennai: The ‘R-value’ dipped to 2.2 for India between January 7 and 13 in contrast with the previous two weeks, which is an indication of a decline in the COVID-19 spread across the country, according to IIT-Madras’ preliminary analysis.
The R-value indicates how fast coronavirus is spreading in a particular region, and the number of people an infected person can spread the infection.
The R-value of Mumbai was recorded at 1.3, Delhi 2.5, Chennai 2.4 and Kolkata 1.6, according to news agency P
TI.
The IIT Madras’ Department of Mathematics and Centre of Excellence for Computational Mathematics and Data Science, headed by Prof Neelesh S Upadhye and Prof S Sundar, conducted the analysis.
India’s R-value was 2.9 from December 25 to December 31 and 4 between January 1 and 6 during the previous two weeks. The pandemic is considered on a decline and could enter the ‘epidemic’ phase if the R-value goes below 1.
According to a mathematics assistant professor at IIT Madras, Dr Jayant Jha, the R-value is calculated by assessing transmissibility probability, contact rate and probable time in which virus can infect an individual.
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