The Centre on Wednesday despatched three-member multi-disciplinary teams headed by Joint Secretary level officers in the Health Ministry. to Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, following surge on daily new cases in these States.

After peaking in mid-September 2020, the number of COVID-19 cases in India has been consistently declining. However, in the past week, some States have reversed this trend. In Maharashtra and Punjab, new cases have surged. Alarmingly, cases increased in February 2021 amid reduced testing in both these States.

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

National

India records 16,738 new cases, 138 fresh fatalities

The daily rise in coronavirus infections in India was recorded above 15,000 after nearly a month taking the country’s total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,10,46,914, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

A total of 16,738 infections were reported in a day, while the death toll increased to 1,56,705 with 138 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.  On January 29, 18,855 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours after which the daily rise of cases stayed below 15,000.  The daily deaths were registered above 130 after a gap of 26 days.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,07,38,501 which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of  97.21 per cent and the case fatality rate stands at 1.42 per cent.

The active caseload increased to 1,51,708 which  comprises 1.37 per cent of the total infections, the data stated.

Arunachal

No new case in Arunachal

Arunachal Pradesh did not report any new COVID-19 case for the sixth consecutive day on Thursday, a senior health official said.

The state’s caseload stands at 16,836, of which four are active cases, while 16,776 people have recovered from the disease and 56 patients have succumbed to the infection so far, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

The recovery rate among the coronavirus patients in the state stands at 99.64 per cent, he said.

The state has so far tested over 4.04 lakh samples for COVID-19, including 457 on Wednesday, Jampa said.

State Immunisation Officer Dimong Padung said that 27,760 health workers and frontline personnel have been vaccinated in Arunachal Pradesh so far.

Kerala

Devotees will not be allowed to offer Pongala at temple

Devotees will not be permitted to offer Pongala on the Attukal temple premises the Pongala day on Saturday, given the COVID-19 scenario, the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust said on Wednesday.

The Pongala offering at the temple will be limited to the ‘Pandara Aduppu,’ the main hearth, which will be lit at 10.50 a.m.

Temple officials requested devotees to offer Pongala at their homes this year and not throng the temple premises for the purpose. The temple will not be deputing priests for sprinkling the holy water on hearths.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

No new COVID-19 case in Andamans

Andaman and Nicobar Islands did not report any new COVID-19 case on Thursday, a health official said.

One more person has been cured of the disease, he said.

The archipelago’s caseload stands at 5,016, of which four are active cases, while 4,950 people have been cured of the disease and 62 patients have succumbed to the infection so far, the official said.

The administration has tested over 2.63 lakh samples for COVID-19 so far, he added.

Maharashtra/Punjab

COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra and Punjab increase sharply

After peaking in mid-September 2020, the number of COVID-19 cases in India has been consistently declining. However, in the past week, some States have reversed this trend. In Maharashtra and Punjab, new cases have surged. Alarmingly, cases increased in February 2021 amid reduced testing in both these States. This is of concern because the rise in cases cannot be attributed to increased testing. Going forward, tests should be ramped up in these States to identify more positives in a shorter duration to mitigate the disease spread.

 

 

Mexico

Mexico starts administering Russian Sputnik V vaccine

Mexican authorities administered their first shots of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine on Wednesday to residents of the capital, with people lining up at a vaccination station on the city’s south side, eager to get any protection they could.

“I just want to be vaccinated; I don’t care what company made it,” said Ismael Avila , 72, of the southside borough of Xochimilco. “I want to make it out of this alive.” Avila said he was satisfied with the Russian vaccine’s reported effectiveness rate of around 92%.

Some came fearing the long lines and disorder that marked the early stages of the vaccine campaign.

Tamil Nadu

T.N. steps up vigil on borders

Tamil Nadu has stepped up vigil as COVID-19 cases are on the rise in some parts of the country, including Maharashtra and Kerala. While fever surveillance is being strengthened in the border areas, Chennai, Coimbatore and Chengalpattu will be put on alert for clusters.

Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said officials had been told to set up or reinforce checkpoints along the border with Kerala (about 26), Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to check for fever among those entering Tamil Nadu.

 

Andhra Pradesh

TTD urged to lift curbs on Tirumala temple footpaths

Pilgrims seeking darshan at the Lord Venkateswara temple have urged the Tirumala Tirupati Devestahanams (TTD) to relax the restriction imposed on trekking the foot paths leading to the hill shrine. At present, only the devotees with valid tickets are allowed to trek the footpaths to the shrine either a day in advance or on the same day of their scheduled darshan.

West Bengal

Mamata writes to Modi on vaccines

Emphasizing it is important to roll out rapid vaccination programme for people of the State before elections Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that Government of West Bengal has decided to procure adequate number of vaccines for members of the public at large.

Also read: West Bengal spent ₹4,000 cr. to tackle COVID-19, says TMC

“We would request to kindly take up the matter appropriate authorities so that the State government is able to purchase the vaccines from designated point(s) on top priority basis because the West Bengal government wants to provide vaccination free of cost to all,” Ms. Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister.

 

(With inputs from our Correspondent and agencies)