India’s COVID ‘R-Value’ Dips To 2.2; Know What It Means

Picture courtesy ANI

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 PTI.

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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