PM Modi chairs review meeting on COVID-19 situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level review meeting on the COVID-19 situation and vaccination in the country.

As per the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the meeting was done to review India's present situation regarding the pandemic and the vaccination drive.

Notably, on Thursday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India is still going through the second wave of Covid-19 and it is not yet over.

Bhushan also mentioned that 35 districts are reporting a weekly Covid positivity rate of over 10 per cent while it is between 5-10 per cent in 30 districts.

As per the Union Health Ministry, India reported 34,973 fresh COVID-19 cases, 37,681 recoveries and 260 deaths in the last 24 hours. Of these, Kerala recorded 26,200 new cases and 114 deaths.

Meanwhile, in the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive, 72.37 crore vaccine doses have been administered to eligible beneficiaries till date.

India reported 34,973 new COVID-19 cases, 19% lower than yesterday's count and 260 deaths in the past 24 hours. Once again Kerala remained the highest contributor with 26,200 new COVID-19 cases, followed by Maharashtra, where 4,219 cases were registered since yesterday. Mumbai reported 457 new cases in the last 24 hours. 

The daily test positivity rate in the state dipped to 16.69% after having crossed 19% on at least one day last week. Active caseload decreased by 2,968 and now stands at 3,90,646. With the addition of 243 new COVID-19 cases, the infection count in the Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 5,53,609, an official said on Thursday. 

Marginal increases in infections were registered in Tamil Nadu (1,596 new cases, highest since August 23), Bengal (751 on Wednesday, highest since August 20), and J&K (170 cases, highest since August 12).