The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday said the period of lockdown has been gainfully utilised to ramp up the health infrastructure in the country. In a press statement the health ministry said the recovery rate in the country improved up to 40.32 per cent. "There are reports in a section of media about some decisions of the government regarding the lockdown implementation and response to COVID-19 management. The period of the lockdown has been gainfully utilised to ramp up the health infrastructure in the country. As on date, 45,299 people have been cured, taking our recovery rate to 40.32 per cent."

The ministry said as on May 21, 26,15,920 samples have been tested and 1,03,532 have been tested in the last 24 hours, through 555 testing labs (391 in the government sector and 164 private labs). It also said that Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in collaboration with the health ministry and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with support from state health departments and key stakeholders including WHO, is conducting a community based sero-survey to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Indian population.