COVID-19 high-level meet: Centre calls situation in 11 States/UTs matter of 'serious concern'

Fresh COVID-19 cases are on a surge in the country. On Friday the Centre said that the situation due to coronavirus in 11 states/union territories is a matter of 'serious concern'. 

Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a high-level meet with Chief Secretaries, DGP and Health Secretaries of 11 states and union territories (UTs) showing a spike in COVID-19 cases and called the situation in Maharashtra, Punjab and Chhattisgarh 'particularly worrying'.

These states include Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Haryana which were given directions during the review meeting.

The government has urged the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police concerned to take appropriate action in this regard.

The Cabinet Secretary pointed out that the current COVID-19 case growth rate of 6.8% in March 2021 has surpassed the previous record of 5.5% (June 2020). 

Another worrisome aspect pointed out in the meeting was that Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, along with peri-urban areas have recorded the recent high rises in COVID-19 cases.

Niti Aayog's Member Health, Dr V K Paul emphasised the need for states to follow a protocol for sharing clinical and epidemiological data for a more detailed study of a mutant strain of the virus for genome sequencing.

India COVID-19 tally

India recorded 81,466 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest since October 2020.

The national capital on Friday reported over 3,500 new COVID-19 cases.

The COVID-19 growth rate of 6.8% in March 2021 has surpassed the previous record of 5.5% (June 2020). 

The country also reported a 5.5% growth rate in daily COVID-19 deaths in this period.

India has now reached the critical figure of reporting 81,000 daily new COVID-19 cases.

India was reporting about 97,000 daily new cases at the peak of the pandemic in September 2020.