New COVID-19 cases have come down across India and even in Kerala, but Mizoram remains a cause of concern, said VK Paul, (Member) Health, NITI Aayog.
“Mizoram is a state of concern even though we are seeing a decline in new cases across India and even in Kerala. In the coming two to three months, we have to be mindful of any increase in COVID-19 cases. We request everyone to be careful in the coming quarter. We are happy to see the number of cases stabilizing,” he said.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Balram Bhargava said that during the festive season, the public should travel and celebrate safely, and follow vaccine acceptance and COVID-19 appropriate behaviour: “We know That festivals are approaching and a sudden increase in population density creates a favorable environment for viral spread. Behaving responsibly is the need of the hour.”
Presenting a holistic picture of the current COVID-19 situation in India, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that the country is witnessing an overall decline. “Weekly positivity is below 3% for the eleventh consecutive week. At present, there is only one state with more than one lakh active cases.”
“States and Union Territories like Lakshadweep, Chandigarh, Goa and Himachal Pradesh have registered 100% vaccine coverage of first dose for population above 18 years of age. Overall, 20% of the population above the age of 18 years has been fully vaccinated,” he said.
Mr Bhushan said that 3,631 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants were available for medical oxygen, while 1,595 were commissioned.
Speaking about the increase in dengue cases in some parts of the country, he said that water gets stagnant after monsoon, leading to the birth of Aedes mosquitoes which are responsible for dengue outbreaks. “The source reduction is done in all the states every year. We have received reports of dengue outbreak in Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam. There are prescribed guidelines which are being followed,” he said.
.