NEW DELHI: Although Covid-19 numbers are declining in most places in India, states like Kerala and Mizoram are areas of concern as they continue to report high positivity rates, health ministry officials said on Thursday. Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry, said that in the past four days, less than 1 lakh cases have been reported, which is “very positive news”.
However, cautioning not to lower guard, Covid-19 Task Force head Dr V K Paul said nearly 40 districts are still reporting an increase in weekly cases and positivity rate, while 200 districts are recording positivity of 10%. He said Kerala is reporting an “enormously high” daily positivity rate of 29.57%. Positivity rates in Mizoram (26.5%), Sikkim (17%), Arunachal Pradesh (12%), and Himachal Pradesh (12%) are also points of concern.
India’s first homemade mRNA (messenger RNA) Covid vaccine is under the final stage of clinical trials, Paul said. “India’s first homegrown messenger RNA Covid vaccine being developed by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals is currently under final clinical trials, and we hope we will be able to use it someday.” This vaccine, which is also developed for the Omicron variant, will soon be tested on humans.