India's COVID-19 recovery rate best in the world: Health Minister

New Delhi: While India has the lowest fatality rate due to COVID-19, it probably has the best recovery rate in the world, said Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Saturday.

Harsh Vardhan said that contrary to what the experts had claimed about the number of cases reaching 300 million in the country, including five-six million deaths, by July-August, India had less than three million cases, out of which 2.2 million have already recovered.

"As far as COVID-19 numbers are concerned, our fatality rate, 1.87%, is really low and we have probably the best recovery rate (75%) in the world. We have around 1,500 testing labs now. It is a great achievement in itself," Harsh Vardhan told ANI here.

"Also we have achieved the target of testing 10 lakh tests per day six weeks before the set deadline. We now have 1,511 testing labs in the country," he added.

He further said the Indian scientists are working very hard to develop a vaccine and provide it to the world.

"Out of the three vaccine candidates, one has entered the third phase of trials. We are confident that within this year we will provide the world with an effective vaccine to save the people," Harsh Vardhan said.

The number of samples tested for COVID-19 per day has crossed the million mark in India, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research on Saturday.