Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a topmost-level meet on Sunday amidst a worrying spike in COVID-19 cases across the country.
With 1,03,558 new COVID-19 cases, India has seen the biggest-ever daily surge by taking the tally to 1,25,89,067. Our Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi held a high-level meet to review the scenario. The teams from the centre have been rushed to three states.
Due to such numbers in increment of the cases, India has become the second country after the US to record six-figure additions in infections in a single day.
From this data, over 57,000 positive cases were reported from Maharashtra alone. It is a new record for the State that has now imposed a weekend lockdown.
The previous high was last year on September 16, when 97,894 positive cases were reported. The numbers started sliding after that, and the decline continued for five months before a surge and described it as a second wave.
Including the Sunday addition, at least 1.25 crore people in India so far been found infected with the disease. More than 7 lakh cases are currently active, out of these 4.3 lakh is in Maharashtra only.
As per ICMR, 24,90,19,657 samples have been tested till April 4th with 8,93,749 samples being tested on Sunday.
On Sunday, about 490 deaths were reported, Maharashtra accounted for 235, which includes the ones that the state classified as been caused be co-morbidities.
In Uttar Pradesh, there was a sharp rise in the death numbers. The deaths reported from the state were the highest in the last four months. Chhattisgarh and Punjab were the states with high fatality rates that are 36 and 51, respectively.
Prime Minister, emphasised the urgent requirement for the implementation of a five-fold strategy with foremost seriousness to curb the surge and listed a number of key measures that include the rollout of a special campaign for COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and a regular analysis of vaccination coverage.
Prime Minister Modi iterated the requirement of the five-fold strategy that is – testing, tracing, treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour and vaccination. The PMO said, “The Prime Minister directed to continue with the mission-mode approach in the states and districts reporting high cases so that the collective gains of Covid-19 management in the country in the last 15 months are not squandered”.
According to a government statement on Sunday after the PM’s meet, the sharp increment in the COVID cases could be, “mainly attributed to the severe decline in compliance of Covid-appropriate behaviour primarily in terms of use of masks and maintaining ‘2 gaj ki doori‘ (six-feet distance), pandemic fatigue and lack of effective implementation of containment measures at the field-level”.
Since India is battling with the second COVID-19 wave, Maharashtra that is the worst-hit state in the country has seen the highest-ever daily surge with 57,074 infections on Sunday. The financial capital of India, Mumbai, has also seen the highest-ever single day spike with 11,163 new cases.
The Central government has decided to send their teams to Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab due to an increment in the number of regular cases and the disproportionate number of deaths.
On Sunday, the Uddhav Thackeray Government declared new restrictions that include a night curfew in the state and a “strict lockdown” over the weekends from Friday 8 pm to Monday 7 am amidst the unprecedented scenario.
Delhi has recorded 4,000 fresh COVID-19 cases taking the tally to 6,76,414 which is the highest tally this year. It was amongst the top five states that reported the highest number of cases in the last 24 hours.
The Government data shows that Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh are the other three states that have seen the biggest spike in cases in the last 24 hours.
The last time India recorded the biggest surge in regular infections was on 17 September when 97,894 infections were recorded in a single day.
The surge in such cases came ahead of polling in four states – Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and a union territory – Pondicherry. The Election Commission has given assurance that COVID-19 protocols have been strictly followed at the polling booths.
Last week, India widened its vaccine to the net to all those who are 45 years of age and above. The country has targeted to vaccinate over 30 crore people by July. India logged the third highest number of cases in the world after the United States and Brazil.
On assuring the saturation coverage of vaccination in surge districts, PM suggested that a regular analysis of performance must be shared with States and Union territories for corrective actions.
Prime Minister asked the officials to ramp up ventilator beds and availability of oxygen, and assure strict compliance of clinical management protocol for at-home care and in the hospitals for keeping the mortality numbers under control.1
