Covid Round-Up: 10 states contribute to 77% of total active cases in country

States like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West. Bengal and Odisa have been witnessing more than 50,000 active Covid-19 cases as on Thursday, according to health ministry. It also said these states contribute to more than 77% of total active cases.

New Delhi: The central government on Thursday said that 10 states across the country contribute to more than 77 percent of the total active Covid-19 cases whereas 90 percent of these active cases are under home isolation. Meanwhile, scientists in India issued a caution over the new subvariant BA.2, as Omicron continues to spread across the globe.

"Early indication of a plateau in cases being reported in certain geographies. The trend needs to be observed and required precautions need to be continued. Top 10 states in terms of active cases contribute to more than 77 percent of the total active cases in the country," said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry.

He said that states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West. Bengal and Odisa have been witnessing more than 50,000 active cases as on Thursday. He said that there is a clear drop in cases needing oxygen supported beds or ICU beds.

"Vaccination is supporting in terms of lesser cases, lesser hospitalisation and less severity of the cases being reported in the country," Agarwal said. Comparing to the first wave and second wave of the pandemic, Agarwal added that on May 7, 2021, at the peak of the second surge, there were a total of 4,14,188 new cases and 3,679 (7 day moving average) reported. "The proportion of fully vaccinated people were 3 percent."

He said that the number of districts reporting weekly case positivity went to 551 week ending January 26 from 527 week ending January 19. "There are 400 districts across India which are reporting more than 10 percent weekly positivity week ending January 26 followed by 141 districts reporting weekly positivity between 5 to 10 percent," said Agarwal.

NCDC raises alert against Omicron sub-variant BA.2

Meanwhile, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Thursday cautioned that Omicron sub-variant BA.2 is more prevalent in India at present. "The Omicron sub variant BA.2 is more prevalant in India. There are both Delta and Omicron variants present in India and Delta is found mainly in Orissa, West Bengal and Maharashtra," said NCDC director Dr Sujeet Kumar Singh.

He added that if 1,252 Omicron was found in December last year, it went up to 9,662 in January. "In January this year, 4779 variants of AY and BA lineages (Delta and Omicron) have been found in country."

To take stock of the new situation, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a review meeting with senior officials of health ministry as well as Dr Balram Bhargava, director general of Indian Council of Medical Researched (ICMR). "The officials discussed in detail about the situation that evolved around new sub variants of Omicron," an official privy to the meeting said.

Officials present in the meeting emphasised on increasing the number of testing. The meeting also emphasised on the need to increase the percentage of vaccination. "Because of vaccination the number of hospitalisation is very less. There are also less demand of Oxygen and ICU beds during the current wave of the pandemic," said Dr Bhargava.