Covid-19 positivity over 10% in 55 districts, cases surging in major NE states: Govt

In a regular press briefing, joint secretary of the ministry Lav Agarwal said that the number of districts with more than 10 per cent positivity rate has come down in the country.

The number of cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is concentrated in “limited geography,” the Union ministry of health and family welfare said on Tuesday. Data from the ministry showed that the positivity rate remained above 10 per cent in 55 districts spread across 13 states and Union territories in the country. The health ministry also highlighted that some states in the northeastern region are reporting a surge in the number of new Covid-19 infections.

As of the week ending July 13, 2021, as many as 73 districts are reporting over 100 new cases daily, the health ministry said. (PTI)

In a regular press briefing, joint secretary of the ministry Lav Agarwal said that the number of districts with more than 10 per cent positivity rate has come down in the country. Data shared during the briefing showed that nine such districts are in Rajasthan, the highest in a single state. It was closely followed by eight districts each in Kerala and Manipur and Meghalaya with seven such districts.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra, Odisha and Puducherry contributed one district each to the list. Nagaland has five districts where the positivity remained above 10 per cent while Mizoram has four districts. Among other northeastern states, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura contributed three districts each to the list and Assam added two.

However, the ministry also noted that there were 531 districts reporting over 100 daily new Cvodi-19 cases as of the week ending on May 4, 2021, and this number has gradually reduced. While it came down to 262 districts as of the week ending June 2, 2021, it is now at 73 districts as of the week ending on July 13, 2021. The joint secretary also said that the active caseload has been declining steadily and the daily new recoveries have been increasing.

The ministry also warned about the surging number of infections in Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. The warning came following the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the chief ministers of these states earlier in the day to review the Covid-19 situation. The ministry also said that central teams have been deputed to these states along with Chattisgarh, Kerala and Odisha for helping in handling the coronavirus pandemic.

Warning people that the pandemic is far from over, the ministry pointed to data from other countries globally and said that the infections are surging in countries like the United Kingdom, Russia, Bangladesh and Indonesia. It further insisted on the need for non-pharmaceutical interventions, especially wearing a facemask, in controlling the transmission of the disease. It also warned of the impending dangers of the third wave of Covid-19 as more crowds gather at tourist destinations in the country.

On the vaccination front, Agarwal said that more than 381 million doses of the vaccine have been administered to beneficiaries in the country. This includes over 306 million first doses and close to 75 million second doses.