BIG NEWS! HEALTH MINISTER CONFIDENT ABOUT COVID-19 'UNDER CONTROL'; REVEALS NEW UPDATE 

As countries are racing towards the COVID-19 vaccine and trials, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan expressed confidence stating that the country's COVID-19 count will be "under control" by Diwali 2020. 

As per a press release, "The COVID-19 will significantly come under control by the Deepavali this year. The leaders and common people effectively worked together to fight the pandemic."

"But, the virus has taught us a certain lesson, it has taught us there has to be a new normal and we need to be more diligent about, more cautious about our lifestyle...," the release added. 

Vardhan recently inaugurated the 'Nation First' webinar series, which has been organised by the Anathkumar Foundation. Further pointing on tackling the pandemic, he said that the country was much ahead in tackling the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the health Minister also expressed hope about having a vaccine against COVID-19 by the end of 2020. 

"We are not lagging behind anyone else in the whole world in our efforts to contribute towards the vaccine against COVID... In India we have about 7-8 vaccine candidates, three of them in the clinical trial phases and rest in the pre- clinical trials and by the end of this year we hope to be able to get a vaccine against COVID," he asserted.

Highlighting the development of vaccines in India, the Minister said the country is conducting about 1 million tests per day which is way ahead of the target. There was only one lab in February which has now increased to 1,583 nationwide, and out of this more than 1,000 are government labs.