Coronavirus: People not wearing face masks, maintaining social distance spreading virus in India, says ICMR DG

ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava said there are people who feel that there is no need to be frightened from the pandemic

New Delhi: India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) DG Dr Balram Bhargava on Tuesday (August 25) said that "irresponsible people" who were not following the norms to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were driving coronavirus pandemic in India.

"I would not say younger or older people, instead--I would say irresponsible people who are not using the face masks, not maintaining social distancing are the ones who are driving the pandemic in India," Bhargava said.

He said there are people who feel that there is no need to be frightened from the pandemic and there are those who are very cautious.

"I think you may find cases in people who are very cautious as well. But they (cautious people) are not driving the pandemic, but it is less cautious people who are driving the pandemic," he said.

Echoing similar views, Dr Raman Kumar, President of the Academy of Family Physicians of India, said, there is enough evidence to suggest that wearing masks plays a preventive role against COVID-19.

"Studies have confirmed that places where people followed mask-wearing habits, there were lower COVID-19 cases and a lower number of deaths were reported. When people remove masks casually and don't wear them in crowded places, they not only put themselves in the risk of infection but also become an infection threat for others. It is important that people make masks wearing a routine to win the war against COVID-19," he said.

According to the health ministry, India's COVID-19 case count was over 31.67 lakh with 60,975 new cases on Tuesday.