NEW DELHI: The center has written to five states, including Kerala and Delhi, on the rise in Covid cases and has advised them to continue monitoring the spread of the infection and undertake required steps for prompt and effective management of Covid-19.
In the letter, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that "a sustained and significant decline in the number of Covid-19 cases had been observed in India over the past two months, with the country reporting less than 1000 daily new cases for the past few days. Weekly positivity rate has remained below 1 percent."
However, he said a few states are reporting a higher contribution to India’s daily new cases.
He said that as the states are taking various measures to reopen economic and social activities, there is a need for continuous follow-up of a risk assessment-based approach for Covid-19.
In separate letters to these five states, Bhushan told them to continue the five-fold strategy of test-track-treat-vaccination, and adherence to Covid appropriate behavior needs to be followed.
The ministry also listed steps to follow, including monitoring new clusters, adequate testing, monitoring influenza-like illness, conducting genomic sequencing for prescribed samples of international passengers, and vaccinating all eligible people.
“It is essential that the state maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action if required in any areas of concern to control any emerging spread of infection. Testing and surveillance remain important to treat the virus, its spread and evolution.”
The ministry said laxity would nullify the gains in pandemic management so far.
The ministry said Kerala is reporting 31.8 percent of India's new cases, and the state also has seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 13.45 percent to 15.53 percent. Mizoram accounted for 11.16 percent of all new cases, and the state also saw an increase in positivity in the last week from 14.38 percent to 16.48 percent.
Maharashtra also saw a spike in new cases as it accounted for 10.9 percent of India's recent issues. The State has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 0.39 percent to 0.43 percent. Delhi accounted for 11.33 percent of India's new cases, with the state seeing an increase in positivity in the last week from 0.51 percent to 1.25 percent.
Haryana also accounted for 5.70 percent of all new cases in the country, with the positivity rate increasing in the last week from 0.51 percent to 1.060 percent.