The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said that communityspread of the deadly COVID-19 virus has started and the situation is quite bad.Speaking to news agnecy ANI, Dr V K Monga, the Chairman of IMA Hospital Boardof India said, "This is now an exponential growth. Every day the number ofcases is increasing by more than around 30,000. This is really a bad situationfor the country. There are so many factors connected with it but overall thisis now spreading to rural areas. This is a bad sign. It now shows a communityspread."

According to the latest Health Ministry update, the totalconfirmed cases in India have reached 1,038,716. Of these, 358,629 are activecases and 653,751 cured/discharged/migrated cases. A total of 26,273 deathshave been registered to date.

He said that the cases are penetrating down into towns andvillages where it will be very difficult to control the situation. "InDelhi, we were able to contain it, but what about interior parts of the countryin Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Madhya Pradesh (which may be the newhotspots)?"

As many as 13,433,742 samples have been tested for COVID-19till July 17. Of these 361,024 samples were tested on Friday, Indian Council ofMedical Research (ICMR) said.

ICMR is ramping up testing facilities regularly. At present,885 government laboratories and 368 private laboratory chains are conductingCOVID-19 tests across the country.

"This is a viral disease that spreads very fast. Tocontain the disease there are only two options. Firstly, 70 per cent populationcontracts the disease and gets immune, and other is getting animmunisation," stated Monga.

Vaccination, being the greatest hope to contain Covid-19,India's two indigenous vaccine makers would be starting human trials soon.

"There has to be phases of trials then human trial,then efficacy and side effects. Also, importantly it has to be seen how longthis immunity will last because most of the patients are unable to go beyondthree months of immunity," said Dr Monga.