India added 12,885 new Covid-19 cases in a single day taking its total reported caseload to 3,43,21,025. India has recorded below 20,000 new cases for almost a month now. However, the Centre also flagged a rise in coronavirus infections in some states.
According to data updated at 8 am, India also reported 461 deaths, taking the toll to 4,59,652. The case fatality rate is 1.34 per cent at present.
The total active cases, however, have come down to 1,48,579, 0.43 per cent of total infections. This is the lowest number since March 2020 even as the recovery rate was recorded at 98.23 per cent, according to the health ministry.
In a span of 24 hours, India has recorded a decline of 2,630 active cases while the daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.21 per cent. Recoveries and Covid-19 patients discharged from hospital were recorded to be 3,37,12,794.
The union health ministry on Wednesday wrote to Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to review rising Covid-19 cases and weekly positivity rates, and increase testing. In a letter to the three states, health additional secretary Arti Ahuja highlighted the increase in weekly new Covid cases since last week (October 26 to November 1) and early signs of rise in positivity rates since the past four weeks till October 31.
Ahuja also stressed on strict enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially during festivities. Ahuja had also previously written to West Bengal and Assam, expressing concerns over rising Covid cases in these states after the period of Durga Puja and Navratri.
In her letter to Himachal Pradesh, Ahuja said there was close to 22 per cent increase in weekly new cases since last week, and that there were early signs of increase in positivity since the past four weeks. “Three districts, Kangra, Bilaspur and Shimla, have been identified as districts of concern,” the letter stated.
For Andhra Pradesh, she said the state had shown a high number of weekly new cases over the past four weeks. “East Godavari district has been identified as a district of concern due to high quantum of cases and positivity over 2.5 per cent. The district had a high quantum of cases in the week ending October 31,” the officer said.
As for Jammu and Kashmir, Ahuja said the union territory had shown an approximately 61 per cent increase in weekly new cases. She also said there was a decline in tests and underlined that due to rising positivity, it needed to conduct more testing. “One district Kathua has been identified as a district of concern due to high quantum of cases and positivity over 2.5 per cent. The district had high quantum of cases in the week ending October 31,” she said.
Ahuja said proper measures must be taken to reduce positive cases in these states with focus on proper implementation of containment zones, increased house-to-house search for active cases within these zones, strict and daily monitoring of cases under home isolation and their referral to hospitals, and strengthening contact-tracing of positive people and review of containment zones.
Besides, there should be a detailed district-wise and facility-wise analysis of deaths, the letter stated.
(With PTI inputs)
Read all the Latest India News here
Comments
0 comment