'Maintain Strict Watch, Take Pre-Emptive Action': Govt Flags Covid Spike In Delhi, 4 states

Health experts said on Monday that the main reasons for the increase in cases of COVID infection among young children are the opening of schools.

A health worker takes a swab sample from a man for coronavirus screening (File photo: AFP)

New Delhi: Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written a letter to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra and Mizoram regarding the increasing positivity rate and cases of coronavirus on Tuesday. 

In a letter, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan advised Delhi and the four states to follow the five-fold strategy of "test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour", with a particular emphasis on wearing of masks in crowded areas.

"It is essential that the states must maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action, if required, in any areas of concern to control any emerging spread of the infection. Testing and surveillance still remain important to track the virus, its spread and evolution," Bhushan said in the letter.

#COVID19 | Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan writes to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Mizoram on the increasing positivity rate and cases pic.twitter.com/vHqZUCObi4

— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2022

“India has witnessed a sustained and significant decline in the number of Covid-19 cases over the past 2 months, with the country reporting less than 1000 daily new cases for the past few days. The weekly positivity rate has remained below 1%. There are few states which are reporting a higher contribution to India’s daily new cases,” Bhushan wrote to the chief secretaries of the states as quoted by The Indian Express.

Today, after 1247 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in India in a single day, the number of people infected with the coronavirus in the country so far increased to 4,30,45,527. At the same time, the number of patients under treatment has also increased to 11,860.

“The State has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 0.03% to 0.09%,” Bhushan wrote to Uttar Pradesh. “The state is advised to continue monitoring the spread of infection and undertake required steps for prompt and effective management of Covid-19” Bhushan wrote to the states.

Health experts said on Monday that the main reasons for the increase in cases of COVID infection among young children are the opening of schools, low rates of vaccination among children and most importantly, non-adherence to COVID measures.

Bhushan, communicated to Delhi that the national capital has reported 998 new cases in the week ending April 12 to 2,671 new cases in the last week. “The Union Territory has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 1.42% to 3.49%,” Bhushan wrote.

“…Haryana has reported an increase in weekly new cases from 521 new cases in the week ending April 12 to 1,299 new cases in the last week (ending April 19),” Bhushan wrote to Haryana.

“…Mizoram has reported 539 new cases from 521 new cases in the week ending April 19,” Bhushan said. Meanwhile, Bhushan also wrote to Maharashtra about the marginal increase in the positivity rate. 

“…Maharashtra has reported 693 new cases in the last week. The state has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 0.39% to 0.40%,” Bhushan wrote.

On Monday, there have been 2183 cases of infection in India. In the last 24 hours, an increase of 90 percent has been seen in the cases of COVID. According to experts, this time the country is mainly affected by Omicron's BA.2 sub-variant.

During the last two years, the cases of COVID in children around the world were very low, but the Omicron wave that started in late November last year increased the infection in children.