No community spread of virus

India is still in the local transmission stage of the coronavirus pandemic, the government said yesterday, responding to questions about a health ministry document that said the country was currently in "local transmission and limited community transmission phase."

"Nowhere are we calling it community transmission. We are still in the local transmission stage. If we use the word 'community' then there is speculation," said Luv Agarwal of the Indian Council of Medical Research. 

India has close to 1,100 coronavirus cases, including 29 deaths. Ninety-two new cases and four deaths due to Covid-19 have been reported in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said yesterday.

The ministry also released a document detailing SOPs for transporting a suspected case of coronavirus, reports NDTV. 

"This SOP is applicable to the current phase of Covid-19 pandemic in India (local transmission and limited community transmission)," the document said.

Of the four stages, Stage 1 is when cases are imported from affected countries. Only those who travelled abroad test positive. The government says India is still on Stage 2, when there is local transmission from infected persons.