New Delhi: Days after several states lifted Covid-19 curbs in the wake decline in daily caseload, Union Health Ministry on Friday asked Delhi, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra and Mizoram to keep strict vigil and take prompt actions if required.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to the aforementioned states over the increase in Covid19 cases in the last week, asking them to maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action if required, news agency ANI reported.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan writes to Delhi, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra and Mizoram over the increase in Covid19 cases in the respective states the last week, asking them to maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action if required.
– ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2022
According to reports, Bhushan will hold a meeting with the health secretaries and health officials of all States/UTs regarding COVID19 precaution dose administration tomorrow.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan to hold a meeting with the health secretaries and health officials of all States/UTs regarding COVID19 precaution dose administration tomorrow: Official sources
(file photo) pic.twitter.com/BHdcXgLLf2
– ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2022
States such as Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala and others have lifted all Covid induced restrictions, while some even made wearing face masks optional.
Experts questioned the move and opined that wearing masks should still be mandatory despite India seeing a big drop in Covid cases.
The recent directive by Central government comes weeks after it asked states to follow a risk assessment-based approach in the opening of economic and social activities.
“There is a need to follow a risk assessment-based approach in the opening of economic and social activities without losing the gains made so far in the fight against pandemic,” Bhushan had said in a letter to all states and UTs in March.
“There should be a continued focus on the five-fold strategy i.e. test, track, treat, vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour,” Bhushan said asking states to enforce norms like wearing of face masks and maintaining social distancing in all public spaces.
He also stressed that there should be a constant review of emerging data of new cases based on a sustained and critical level of testing.
India’s Covid Tally
India on Friday reported a marginal increase with 1,109 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, against the 1,033 infections reported a day earlier. Also in the same period, 43 additional Covid-19 deaths increased the overall death toll to 5,21,573.
Delhi’s daily Covid caseload recorded a marginal jump for third consecutive day on Thursday with the capital city reporting 176 new infections. With this, national capital’s overall Covid count has increased to 18,65,796 while the death toll stands at 26,155.
Maharashtra on Thursday added 128 new Covid-19 cases and six more deaths, which pushed the caseload and death toll to 78,74,818 and 1,47,806 respectively.
Meanwhile, 159 patients recovered in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, taking their cumulative number to 77,26,184 and leaving the state with 828 active cases.
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