Express News Service
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI/CHANDIGARH: Amid a explosion of Covid-positive cases, Maharashtra and Punjab on Friday announced strict state-wide curbs and Madhya Pradesh imposed restrictions in three major cities even as the Centre expressed concerns over some states not sending samples for genetic sequencing of the virus, as directed.
Covid-19 cases in the country grew by over 100% in five weeks.
A total 39,726 fresh cases were registered on Friday, the highest since early December, while active cases have crossed 2.71 lakh, registering a growth of 103% since February 11.
Eight states are showing an upward trajectory, with Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh together accounting for more than 80% of the daily new cases.
The Union Health Ministry also said that India’s total active caseload has increased to 2,71,282 and comprises 2.82 per cent of the total infections.
A net rise of 18,918 cases have been recorded in the total active caseload in a span of 24 hours.
Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 25,833 which is 65 per cent of daily cases.
It is followed by Punjab with 2,369 while Kerala reported 1,899 new cases, the ministry said.
A total of 39,726 new daily cases were reported in a span of 24 hours.
Eight states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryana are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases.
The Centre is actively engaging with all state and UT governments, especially those showing an upsurge in daily new cases and with a high caseload of active cases, the ministry said.
The Union Government is regularly reviewing the status of COVID-19 containment and public health measures with them.
States and UTs have been advised to improve testing in districts reporting reduction in testing and increase the overall share of RT-PCR tests (more than 70 per cent), especially in districts dependent on high levels of antigen testing in line with the ‘Test Track and Treat’ strategy of the government.
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They have also been advised to carry out an average close contact tracing of minimum of 20 persons per positive case (in the first 72 hours) along with isolation and early treatment of the serious cases as per clinical protocol.
“It is also advised to focus on surveillance and stringent containment of those areas in selected districts which are seeing cluster of cases and focus on clinical management in districts reporting higher deaths.
“It has been advised that the states and UTs should also follow up on sending samples for genome testing to track virus variants of concern,” the ministry said.
All states and UTs have been tagged to 10 national labs under the INSACOG consortium with National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as the nodal institute.
They have been asked to limit the gathering in public places along with promoting COVID-appropriate behaviour through communication and enforcement and accelerate vaccination for priority population groups in districts reporting higher cases.
Accelerating the pace of vaccination has also been stressed upon, the ministry stated.
Recently, the Centre had deputed high-level public health teams to Maharashtra and Punjab to assist in COVID-19 control and containment measures in view of recent spike in cases in these states.
The Central government had earlier deputed high-level teams to Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir to support them in their fight against the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.
The reports of central teams are shared with the states for further follow up action.
The follow up and compliance on part of states is monitored by the Union Health Ministry.
Besides, nearly 4 crore (3,93,39,817) vaccine doses have been administered through 6,47,480 sessions, as per the provisional report till Friday 7 am.
These include 76,35,188 HCWs (1st dose),47,15,173 HCWs (2nd dose), 78,33,278 FLWs (1st dose)and21,98,414 FLWs (2nd Dose), 27,79,998 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (1st Dose)and 1,41,77,766 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years.
As on day-62 of the vaccination drive (18th March), more than 22 Lakh (22,02,861) vaccine doses were given.
Of these, 18,32,287 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 32,128 sessions for 1st dose and 3,70,574 HCWs and FLWs received the 2nd dose of vaccine.
India’s cumulative recoveries have sugred to 1,10,83,679.
The ministry said that 16 states and UTs have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours.
These are Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Lakshadweep, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Nagaland, Tripura, Ladakh, Manipur, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Arunachal Pradesh.
While a worried Centre has advised states to ramp up RT-PCR testing, a few states rushed to tighten Covid curbs.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed that employees’ attendance in private offices be reduced to 50%.
Theatres and auditoriums, too, have been asked to operate at 50% capacity till March 31.
Establishments related to health and other essentials services and manufacturing sector will be, however, exempted from the curbs.
The order came a day after Maharashtra reported a single-day surge of 25,833 cases, the highest ever in the state since the beginning of the pandemic.
Till now, the highest count of new cases in the state was 24,896 in September last. Punjab also brought back similar restrictions.
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Beginning Saturday, educational institutions will remain closed till March 31, cinema halls will be allowed to function at 50% capacity and not more than 100 persons will be allowed in malls at a time.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also appealed to the people to keep social activity to the bare minimum to break the transmission chain. Not more than 10 visitors should be entertained at home, he added.
In Madhya Pradesh, lockdowns have been ordered in three big cities Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur from Saturday 10 pm to Monday 6 am, though essential services and industries will be exempted.
All schools and colleges in these cities will remain closed till March 31.
MP on Friday reported 1,140 new cases, its highest this year. Uddhav said the fresh case count has gone past last year’s peak.
A harsh lockdown, he added, is one of the options but as of now the government expected more discipline from the people.
In Punjab, barring medical and nursing colleges, all educational institutions will remain closed. Dr K K Talwar, who heads the state government’s expert team on Covid, said the surge in cases appeared to be the result of opening of schools and colleges.
The state currently has almost 40% cases in under-30 population, he added.
The Centre has advised states to increase the overall share of RT-PCR tests to more than 70%.
The health ministry asked states to follow up on sending samples for genome testing to track virus variants of concern.
Meanwhile, amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in Gujarat, BJP state unit chief CR Paatil on Friday asked party workers and elected representatives to not organise functions or events.
Incidentally, local bodies polls were held recently in which the ruling party got a massive mandate, and the appeal comes as there are chances of celebratory events in connection with those newly-elected taking oath of office.
Paatil asked these newly-elected members not to gather supporters during oath-taking, and he said all must strictly adhere to norms laid down by the government in order to stop the spread of COVID-19, a BJP release said.
Manufacturing sector spared
MUMBAI: In government and semi-government offices, the head of the office will make the decision on staff attendance.
However, the manufacturing sector can function at full steam, but should increase work shifts so that social distance and Covid-19 protocols are maintained, the circular issued by the Maharashtra government read.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Friday also decided to double the number of COVID-19 tests from 25,000 per day now to 50,000, the decision coming on a day when Mumbai reported a record 3,062 cases, officials said.
The decision was taken after a virtual meeting chaired by Mumbai civic commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, they added.
It was also decided to increase the daily COVID-19 vaccination target in the metropolis to one lakh, as the number of inoculation centres in the private sector had been increased from 59 to 80, the officials informed.
A BMC release said Chahal asked private hospitals providing COVID-19 treatment to take the consent of patient or kin before administering costly medicines and line of treatment so that disputes on bills could be avoided.
It added that the BMC would appoint two auditors at private hospitals for verification of bills and complaints centred around them.
Lockdown updates from Madhya Pradesh and Punjab:
In view of the spurt in coronavirus cases, the Madhya Pradesh government has announced lockdown in Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur cities every Sunday till further orders, an official said here.
The lockdown will be in force from Saturday 10 PM to Monday 6 AM.
Besides, all educational institutions will remain closed in these three cities till March 31, said a public relations department official on Friday.
Madhya Pradesh on Friday reported 1,140 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths.
The decision of Sunday lockdown was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the official said.
Essential services and industries will remain functional during the period, he said.
People must wear masks not only for one’s own safety but also for that of others, the chief minister said, and appealed people to follow social distancing and avoid going to crowded places.
In Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered a slew of restrictions beginning Saturday which include closing of all educational institutions till month-end and curbs on cinema and mall capacities.
In the 11 worst-hit districts, a complete ban has been ordered on all social gatherings, except for funerals and weddings, which will be allowed with only 20 persons in attendance.
This will be enforced from Sunday.
The chief minister also appealed to people to keep social activity in their homes to the bare minimum for the next two weeks to break the transmission chain, according to an official statement.
Not more than 10 visitors should be entertained in homes, he urged chairing a meeting of the COVID task force here.
The chief minister also ordered compulsory wearing of face mask, directing police and the health authorities to take all those loitering in public areas without it to the nearest testing facility to ensure that they are not asymptomatic cases.
The situation will be reviewed after two weeks, said the chief minister.
Dr K K Talwar, who heads the state government’s expert team on coronavirus, told the chief minister that the surge in cases appeared to be the result of the opening of schools and colleges, with young asymptomatic people appearing to be spreading the virus.
“All educational institutions, other than medical and nursing colleges, will remain closed till March 31,” the statement said.
In the wake of the spike in cases, the Department of School Education had last week declared preparatory leave for students of all classes.
Restriction of 50 per cent capacity will be there in cinema halls and not more than 100 persons in a mall at any time.
In the worst-hit districts, the chief minister has ordered cinemas, multiplexes, restaurants and malls to remain closed on Sundays though home deliveries will be allowed subject to night curfew.
The Punjab Congress too will not hold any political gathering for the next two weeks.
The CM appealed to other political parties to keep their gatherings within the prescribed numbers50 per cent of capacity, subject to maximum of 100 in closed and 200 in open spaces.
No political gatherings should take place in the most affected districts, he said.
Industries and essential services shall be allowed to function.
Barring these, all restrictions shall be strictly enforced, the chief minister directed.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu told the CM that the procurement of crops will start from April 10, instead of April 1, as the department needed more time to make arrangements to ensure safe procurement.
The CM also asked the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner to talk to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) and the management of the Durgiana temple to encourage devotees to wear masks inside the shrines.
The rise in cases is a matter of serious concern, particularly in rural areas which had seen much fewer cases last year, said the Chief Minister, directing the departments concerned to launch awareness campaigns in villages.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Sidhu said told the CM that unlike previously when there were more cases in cities, now infection numbers were almost equally divided between urban and rural areas.
In the 11 worst-affected districts of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and Moga, the chief minister ordered restrictions on in-person public dealings in government offices with people to be encouraged to visit offices only for essential services.
Amarinder Singh directed officials to encourage online modes for grievance redressal.
Starting next week, one hour of silence will be observed across the state every Saturday, from 11 am to 12 noon, in memory of those who lost their lives to COVID-19.
Directing health officials to ramp up testing to 35,000 per day, the chief minister said special focus should be on super spreaders, government employees and teachers in educational institutions.
Rapid antigen testing should be stepped up along with the RT-PCR testing, he ordered while directing contact tracing and testing to be taken up to 30 per positive person.
Dr K K Talwar said there is no evidence as of now to show that the spike is due to mutants as only two cases of new strains have been found in Punjab.
The state currently has almost 40 per cent cases from under 30 population, he added.
As of Thursday, Punjab’s infection tally was 2,05,418 while the total fatalities stood at 6,204, according to a medical bulletin.
(With PTI Inputs)