India witnesses 2,151 new COVID cases, highest in last five months, Health News, ET HealthWorld
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India witnesses 2,151 new COVID cases, highest in last five months
Experts attribute the newly emerging XBB1.16 variant to this sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in India. Till now, a total of 610 cases of XBB1.16 have been detected across the country, according to INSACOG data. The highest number of Covid cases caused due to this variant has been found in Maharashtra and Gujarat at 164 each, followed by 93 in Telangana and 86 in Karnataka, informed INSACOG.
ETHealthWorld
March 29, 2023, 11:48 IST
New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry has updated that India recorded 2,151 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest incidence since October 2022. As per the updated data, the active cases have now increased to 11,903.
The latest government data states that amid this sudden spike in caseload, there has been a 3.5-fold rise in the number of districts with a weekly COVID positivity rate of ten per cent or more. Currently, there are 32 districts across 14 states and Union Territories with a positivity rate of at least ten per cent, as compared to just nine districts across five states that had recorded a high COVID positivity rate two weeks ago. The nationwide daily positivity rate and weekly positivity rate now stand at 1.51 per cent and 1.53 per cent respectively.
The active cases amount to 0.03 per cent of the total COVID-19 infections in the country, and the national COVID-19 recovery rate has slumped down to 98.78 per cent with 1,222 recoveries recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 4,41,66,925, the Health Ministry notified.
Experts attribute the newly emerging XBB1.16 variant to this sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in India. Till now, a total of 610 cases of XBB1.16 have been detected across the country, according to INSACOG data. The highest number of COVID cases caused due to this variant has been found in Maharashtra and Gujarat at 164 each, followed by 93 in Telangana and 86 in Karnataka, informed INSACOG.
To address this surge in Sars-Cov-2 infections, the Centre reviewed with states and Union territories the preparedness for pandemic management and the progress of vaccination. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan who chaired the high-level meeting stressed ramping up testing with a higher proportion of RT-PCR, and whole genome sequencing of positive samples. Urging people to follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour at all times, he stressed the need to increase the administration of the precautionary dose, especially in the vulnerable population group.
The active caseload was updated owing to the 1,41,497 COVID tests conducted in the last 24 hours. The ministry reported that a total of 92.13 crores of COVID-19 tests have been conducted in India so far.
According to the ministry's website, 220.65 crore doses of COVID vaccines (95.20 crore second doses and 22.86 crore precaution doses) have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive, out of which, 11,336 doses were administered in the last 24 hours.
COVID cases have not just been increasing in India, a viral uptick is being witnessed worldwide. In response to this incidence of coronavirus, the World Health Organization also changed its recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, suggesting that high-risk populations, based on factors such as age and immunocompromising conditions, should receive an additional dose 12 months after their last booster. The health agency defined high-risk populations as older adults, as well as younger people with other significant risk factors.
The agency further relayed that its committee of experts had also said that additional booster vaccines for COVID beyond the initial series - two shots and a booster - were no longer routinely recommended for 'medium-risk' people.
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Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 6:18 am