Third wave continues to slow down

The daily Covid cases declined by over 50 per cent between January 21 and February 3 (from 3,47,254 to 1,72,433), and during the same period, the daily positivity rate reduced from 17.94 per cent to 10.99 per cent, indicating a decreased spread of the infection.

New Delhi: India reported 1,72,433 fresh COVID cases as of Thursday morning which is 6.8 per cent higher than yesterday. However the states in which cases were rapidly increasing have showed a declining trend for the past few weeks.

The Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said on Thursday evening that 34 states and union territories, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat, are recording a decline in new cases and positivity on a week-on-week basis. However states like Kerala and Mizoram still remain two states of concern.

The Joint Secretary also highlighted that daily Covid cases declined by over 50 per cent between January 21 and February 3 (from 3,47,254 to 1,72,433), and during the same period, the daily positivity rate reduced from 17.94 per cent to 10.99 per cent, indicating a decreased spread of the infection.

Karnataka on Thursday registered a decline in daily coronavirus infections, as the state reported 16,436 new cases and 60 fatalities, taking the tally to 38.60 lakh and toll to 39,197.

Tamil Nadu on Thursday added 11,993 fresh infections to its COVID-19 caseload, which touched 33,87,322, while 30 more fatalities took the toll to 37,666.

Maharashtra on Thursday recorded 15,252 new coronavirus cases and 75 fatalities, the state health department said. The COVID-19 caseload rose to 77,68,800, and death toll to 1,42,859. Mumbai's daily coronavirus count again dropped below the 1,000-mark as it reported 827 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, while seven more patients died due to the infection.

Gujarat added 7,606 new coronavirus cases and 34 deaths on Thursday, taking the overall infection tally to 11,85,537 and the toll to 10,579.

The number of recoveries continued to outnumber fresh COVID-19 cases in Telangana on Thursday with 3,980 people recuperating from the infectious disease, while 2,421 new infections were reported, taking the tally to 7,71,828.

Delhi on Thursday reported 2,668 fresh COVID-19 cases and 13 more deaths, while the positivity rate dropped to 4.3 per cent.

Chhattisgarh on Thursday reported 2,454 new COVID-19 cases, down from 2,764 a day ago, taking the overall tally to 11,34,322, while 12 fresh deaths linked to the infection pushed up the toll to 13,895.

Sixteen more Covid-19 related deaths were reported in Haryana on Thursday as 3,148 fresh cases surfaced, pushing the state's infection count to 9,58,841.

The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh rose to 9,88,533 on Thursday after detection of 7,430 new cases, marginally up from 7,359 a day ago, while the death toll increased to 10,639 after nine more patients succumbed to the infection in the state.

The declining trend in daily Covid cases continues in Jammu and Kashmir with 1,982 infections being reported on Thursday.

Recoveries eclipsed fresh infections as daily COVID-19 cases in Kerala decreased on Thursday with the state recording 42,677 new cases which raised the caseload to 61,72,432. With 50,821 more people recovering from the virus since Wednesday, the total recoveries reached 57,45,912.

Mandatory Covid-19 testing upon arrival in Tripura will no longer need if passengers produce negative test report for COVID-19 done by RTPCR or double vaccination Certificate of COVID-19 for entry into the state 72 hours prior to journey.

Meanwhile India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 168.40 crore with over 50 lakh vaccine doses being administered on Thursday.

NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said that "The pandemic situation has improved. There are states and districts of concern, but overall there is a contraction in the spread of infection which is heartening. There are 268 districts where the positivity is below five per cent. And clearly, these districts can move in the direction of non COVID care and also in the direction of other economic activities as well as school opening."

(With agency inputs)