Covid-19 spike: Centre shoots off advisory to seven states
Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have been asked to maintain the recommended share of RT-PCR and antigen tests. The states must also closely monitor districts reporting higher cases, positivity rates and clusters to prevent further spread of infection and effective case management.
FollowThe Centre has written to the state health secretaries of Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana over rising Covid cases.
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The letter from the union health secretary said that upcoming months are likely to witness mass gatherings in the context of various festivities to be held in different parts of the country, leading to a large number of individuals undertaking intra and inter-state journeys or congregating in the same places.Â
Stating that mass gatherings may potentially facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases, the Centre said that it is critical for states to ensure adequate testing is undertaken in all their districts.Â
States have been asked to maintain the recommended share of RT-PCR and antigen tests. The states must also closely monitor districts reporting higher cases, positivity rates and clusters to prevent further spread of infection and effective case management.
The states have also been advised to diligently follow the five-fold strategy -- Test, Track, TreatVaccinate and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour within the community.
The Centre's advisory comes on a day when the country reported 19,406 new cases in the last 24 hours.Â
Delhi has been reporting high-average daily new cases for the past one month (811 average cases/day), with a high of 2,202 new cases reported on August 5. The state has contributed to 8.2% of India's weekly new cases in the week ending August 5 and has also recorded 1.86 times increase in average daily new cases from 802 (week ending July 29, 2022) to 1,492 in (week ending August 5)
Kerala has also been reporting high average daily new cases for the past month (2,347 average cases/day), with a high of 1,364 new cases reported on August 5. The state contributed to 7.8% of India's weekly new cases and recorded a high weekly positivity of 10.41% (week ending August 5).
Karnataka reported a high of 1,992 new cases reported on August 5. The state has contributed to 10.1% of India's weekly new cases this week. At the same time, Maharashtra reported 1,862 new cases on August 5. The state has also contributed to 9.7% of India's weekly new cases.
While Tamil Nadu has been reporting an average of 2,044 new cases daily, Odisha and Telangana have reported an average of 845 and 678 new cases per day, respectively.
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