The Indian Medical Association on Monday cautioned against “unauthorised political statements”, saying that they invoke a “false sense of security”, reported PTI.

The statement by the doctors’ body came a day after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that India was “in the end game of the pandemic”. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had also said that the coronavirus was entering the “endemic phase” in the national Capital.

A pandemic is the spread of a disease beyond a country’s borders, across a continent, or around the world. An endemic is the usual persistence of an infectious disease in a region that affects a large part of the population.

On Monday, the Indian Medical Association, said it was incorrect to make these claims at this stage. “It is painful to note the discussion on endemic vs pandemic status of diseases is echoing in the political corridors, however it ought to be substantiated by scientific evidence by the World Health Organisation or ICMR only,” the medical body said, according to PTI.

The medical body, instead, appealed to the public to adhere to Covid-19 norms. “Unauthorised political statements shall invoke a false sense of security and hence, the Indian Medical Association, whose 740 frontline warriors lost their life in this war against the coronavirus, appeals to all our fellow citizens to be vigilant on wearing mask, physical distancing and hygiene and take vaccination to get yourself immunity and altruistic health contribution for herd immunity,” the statement said.

The IMA pointed out that the mutated strains of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil were “still haunting us”. The doctors’ association also claimed that there has been a 35 to 40% rise in the last one week in the number of Covid-19 cases, and that the daily average in Delhi has risen from 100 to 140 patients.

“Let us not boast or [blow the] trumpet ourselves, and indulge in prognosticating the course of this viral disease and off guard our preventive measures against this dreaded disease at this stage,” the IMA added.

The association said that the infection that has affected many countries should only be deemed a pandemic at this stage. “The introduction of a much efficacious and safe coronavirus vaccine in our country, is a tool for us to face this challenging war with confidence,” it added.

India on Monday registered 18,599 new coronavirus cases, pushing the country’s tally to 1,12,29,398, data from the health ministry showed. This was marginally lower than the 18,711 infections recorded on Sunday. The toll jumped by 97 to 1,57,853.

However, the situation in a few states, primarily Maharashtra, has worsened recently. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday said that the coronavirus situation in the state was “alarming”, adding that lockdowns may be imposed if required in certain districts.

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