Covid-19: 77% new cases in last 24 hours reported from these 10 states

Kerala which once received global praise for effectively tackling Covid-19 crisis has been reporting the highest number of daily cases for the past few days.

Kerala had surpassed Maharashtra in the number of daily Covid-19 infections last week. The streak remains unbroken as health ministry data reveals Kerala tops the list of 10 states/Union Territories that are reporting maximum number of cases. The first confirmed Covid-19 case in India was reported in Kerala on January 30. Subsequently, the state managed to rein in the spread of the infection with stringent surveillance. However, for the past few weeks, Kerala numbers have again become a cause of worry.

Bengaluru: A health worker wearing a PPE kit collects a sample from a woman for the COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test, at a city market in Bengaluru, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020. (PTI)

In the last 24 hours, Kerala reported 8,764 new infections; Maharashtra reported 8,522 new cases. Close to them is Karnataka with 8,191 cases.

Health ministry data has revealed that 77 per cent of the new cases being reported in the last 24 hours are concentrated in only 10 states and Union territories. Apart from Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, the list includes Tamil Nadu (4,666), Andhra Pradesh (4,622), West Bengal (3,631), Delhi (3,036), Uttar Pradesh (2,957), Chhattisgarh (2,619) and Odisha (2,275).

Last week, Kerala reported 11,755 cases — the highest ever single-day spike.

Kerala health minister KK Shailaja earlier said the situation in the state is not grim as the mortality rate is low.

“The ultimate aim is to reduce the mortality rate. We could contain cases when there was lockdown. But now measures are eased. We can’t blame the government for easing restrictions because people need to work and earn or else they will starve to death. But people need to follow all precautions,” the minister said earlier.