A fresh surge in COVID-19 cases in the past week saw infections cross the 2-lakh mark in Madhya Pradesh. The tally stands at 2,01,597 COVID-19 cases, with 1,645 cases reported during the past 24 hours. Also 15 deaths were reported during these 24 hours, taking the death toll in the state to 3,224.
For about the past five days, an average of 1,600-1,700 cases are being reported across the state, with big cities like Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur contributing the maximum caseload.
On Thursday, the active cases in the state stood at 14,677, a considerable jump in the past eight days. Till November 19, the active cases remained below the 10,000 mark.
In view of the fresh surge, which came after election season and festivals like Dussehra and Diwali, stricter restrictions were put in place and night curfew of 8.00pm to 6.00am was imposed in Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur, apart from Ratlam and Vidisha, from November 21.
However, a high number of cases continue to be reported. On Thursday, Indore reported 556 cases, taking its tally to 40,522, Bhopal reported 313 cases putting its tally at 30,977, Gwalior reported 95 cases with a tally of 14,382 while Jabalpur reported 85 cases, taking its tally to 14,055.
1 lakh cases in 69 days
The last 1 lakh cases in the state have been reported in a period of 69 days during which period, 1,323 deaths were also reported. Madhya Pradesh had crossed the 1-lakh mark on September 18 at the height of COVID-19 pandemic. The death toll on that day had been at 1,901. At that time, 50,000 cases were reported in mere 28 days.
Madhya Pradesh had reported the first four cases of COVID-19 on March 20 in Jabalpur. The 50,000-case mark was breached on August 21, when the death toll was at 1,185.
Open jail for those violating rules
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday directed the officials to put the people who violate the rules regarding wearing face masks and other precautions in public in 'open jails' for some time. During a review meeting, he also directed that notices should be displayed outside the homes of those who are under “home isolation”, so that they do not leave the house and not spread the infection further.
Chouhan, however, said that restrictions on the number of people attending marriage ceremonies should be decided by the crisis management groups of respective districts. In districts with less number of cases, unnecessary restrictions on marriage-related events should not be imposed, he said.
Chouhan said that containment zones should be made in areas where the infection is high, so that the infection does not spread further. Also patients who are in home isolation should be closely monitored through command and control centres. They should be hospitalised immediately if necessary. About 62 per cent of the total active patients in the state are in home isolation.
The recovery rate of coronavirus in the state is 91.1 per cent, the positivity rate is 5.5 percent and the death rate is 1.6 per cent. At present, 42,889 persons per 10 lakh are being tested in Madhya Pradesh, it was informed during the meeting.
