COVID graph is plateauing in India, but Kerala remains a cause of worry: Govt.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, India is recording a daily average of 20,000 cases of which 56 per cent cases were reported from Kerala last week, said Union Health Ministry on Thursday.
While addressing a health briefing in the national capital, Joint Secretary of Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said, "On an average, 20,000 COVID-19 cases have been recorded daily. Of these 56 per cent cases were reported from Kerala last week."
He also informed that the overall positivity rate of the country stood at 1.68 per cent last week.
"Overall positivity rate of the country was nearly at 1.68% last week as compared to that of 5.86 per cent earlier," he said.
Meanwhile, India recorded 22,431 new COVID-19 cases and 318 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Minister informed on Thursday. Of these, 12,616 new cases and 134 deaths were reported in Kerala in the last 24 hours.
Currently, there are 2,44,198 active COVID-19 cases in the country. The cumulative caseload in the country now stands at 3,38,94,312 while 4,49,856 people have succumbed to the infection so far. With 24,602 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the recovery tally of the country has gone up to 3,32,00,258. The recovery rate stands at 97.95 per cent.
Meanwhile, a senior Health Ministry official also warned people about the threat of COVID resurgence during the coming festival and wedding season, and advised them to avoid crowded places and celebrate festivals virtually.
Asserting repeatedly that the second wave of the pandemic is not over, the government said that though the situation is plateauing, the country is still reporting as high as 20,000-odd new infections every day.
"We cannot take the current stable situation for granted. We have to be mindful of the fact that the pandemic is going on and can take an untoward turn if we are not careful," an official said at a joint media briefing.
Warning people about the threat of COVID-19 resurgence during the coming festival and wedding season, Health Ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal said, "Please watch your October, November, December."
He advised people to avoid crowded places and unnecessary travel and to stay home, celebrate festivals virtually and explore online modes of shopping.
The government said that Kerala recorded 50 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in the country last week.
Kerala has over over lakh active cases currently and the figure in four other states is ranging between 10,000 and 50,000.
It said five states- Mizoram, Kerala, Sikkim, Manipur and Meghalaya- are reporting a weekly positivity rate of over five per cent.
Thirty-four districts across nine states and union territories are reporting a weekly positivity rate of more than 10 per cent, according to the government.
Twenty-eight districts across 12 states and UTs are reporting a weekly positivity rate between 5 and 10 per cent.
The government said 71 per cent of India's adult population have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 27 per cent have got both doses.
Listing its preparations to tackle any surge in coronavirus infections, the government said 8.36 lakh hospital beds are currently available in the country for COVID-19 patients, in addition to nearly one million isolation beds in dedicated care centres.
It said 4.86 oxygen-supported beds and 1.35 lakh ICU beds are available.
"We are prepared to face a daily surge of 4.5-5 lakh COVID-19 cases," an official said.
The official said there is no issue of vaccine availability in the country now.
With 22,431 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 3,38,94,312, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Thursday.
The death toll climbed to 4,49,856 with 318 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8:00 am.
(With agencies inputs)
