With 80% of Daily New Cases, Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh continue to exhibit a spike
New Delhi: The second wave of COVID-19 continues unabated in the country with 62,258 new cases reported in the last 24 hours in the country, which was 8,782 more than what was reported within 24 hours ending at 7 am on March 25, 2021. India’s total active caseload reached 4,52,647 today, which now stands at 3.8% of India’s total positive cases – a net incline of 31,581 cases recorded from the total active caseload in the last 24 hours.
291 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours as compared to 251 deaths reported during this period on March 25, 2021.
Today five States accounted for 75.6% of the new deaths as compared to 78.49% of the daily deaths in these states on March 25. This shows more states also registering more deaths now, while death figures are also on a rise in these five states. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (112) today as against 95 on March 25. Punjab followed with 59 daily deaths today as against 39 on March 25.
The percentage share of the new cases of the six States – Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh – which still continue to report a surge in the COVID daily new cases, came down from 80.63% on March 25, to 79.57% today, indicating a marginal surge in cases in other states too.
Maharashtra reported the highest daily new cases at 36,902 today as against 31,855 new cases on March 25. It was followed by Punjab with 3,122 as against 2,613 on March 25, and Chhattisgarh with 2,665 (2106 on March 25), new cases.
The ten states, as outlined under, are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases (See chart below).
Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary, chaired a high-level review meeting today with Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries (H&FW) of 12 States and Municipal Commissioners and District Collectors of 46 districts that were the most affected by rising cases and rising mortality because of COVID-19. These States were Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Punjab and Bihar. Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog was also present during the review meeting.
Through a detailed presentation, the States were informed that the country had seen the sharpest rise in weekly COVID cases and fatalities since May 2020 (7.7% and 5.1% respectively). The focus was on 46 districts that have contributed 71% of the cases and 69% of the deaths this month. Of total 36 districts in Maharashtra, 25 were most affected that accounted for 59.8% of the cases reported in the country during the past one week.
– global bihari bureau
