On a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the rise in COVID-19 cases in parts of the country and called for "quick and decisive" steps to check the "emerging second peak," the health ministry pointed out that sixty per cent of the active cases in the country are in Maharashtra.
As many as 17,864 new cases were reported from Maharashtra in the past 24 hours, followed by Kerala (1,970) and Punjab (1,463). Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said Punjab's positivity rate is now 6.8 per cent and added that this is a worrying figure. "This shows that COVID-19 appropriate behaviour is not being followed," he was quoted as saying.
He said 70 districts in 16 states have seen an increase in COVID-19 cases by 150 per cent in the last 15 days. Bhushan said states have been asked to ramp up "testing, tracking and treating."
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On Wednesday, India recorded its highest daily tally of coronavirus cases this year with 28,903 new infections, taking the total COVID-19 tally to1,14,38,734. The death toll increased to 1,59,044with 188 new fatalities, the highest in around two months, according to health ministry data. In a virtual interaction with state chief ministers over the pandemic situation and the ongoing vaccination drive, on Wednesday, PM Modi had said in states like Maharashtra, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, the number of COVID-19 cases has seen a rise, while nearly 70 districts in the country have seen an increase in the positivity rate by over 150 per cent of late.
"The lowest point of new COVID-19 cases was 9 February. Today, there is nearly 43 per cent week-on-week increase in new COVID-19 cases and nearly 37 per cent week-on-week increase in new deaths," ANI quoted the health ministry as saying.
—With PTI inputs