New Delhi: The Covid pandemic is back in the air. An alarmed Central government has now raised a red flag to three states: Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Mizoram and also the national capital Delhi.
These four provinces are reporting an increase in the positivity rate, and hence the Government of India sent directives to maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive actions to control any emerging spread of infection. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan issued the directives.
“India has witnessed a sustained and significant decline in the number of Covid-19 cases over the past two months, with the country reporting less than 1000 daily new cases for the past few days. The weekly positivity rate has remained below one percent. There are few states which are reporting a higher contribution to India’s daily new cases,” Bhushan wrote in his letter to the chief secretaries.
Bhushan also highlighted Uttar Pradesh as the state that has reported 217 new cases in the week ending April 12 — to 637 new cases in the last week ending April 19. “The State has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 0.03% to 0.09%,” Bhushan wrote.
“The state (of Uttar Pradesh) is advised to continue monitoring the spread of infection and undertake required steps for prompt and effective management of Covid-19,” he said.
Similarly, Bhushan communicated to Delhi that the national capital had reported 998 new cases in the week ending, i.e., April 12, to 2,671 new cases in the last week.
“The Union Territory has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 1.42% to 3.49%,” Bhushan wrote.
He red-flagged Haryana as well.
Bhushan also wrote to Maharashtra about the marginal increase in the positivity rate. “…Maharashtra has reported 693 new cases in the last week. The state has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 0.39% to 0.40%.”
Similarly, Bhushan wrote to Mizoram that the state witnessed an increase in positivity in the last week from 16.11% to 16.68%.
Mizoram in the northeast has reported 539 new cases from 521 new cases in the week ending April 19.
