With a hike of 67 per cent in the number of coronavirus cases between 15 March and 21 March, it was the highest weekly surge India has seen since the pandemic began last year.
India’s leading English daily, The Times of India reports that this week’s death toll surged by 41 per cent to a nine-week high of 1,239.
Highlights:
- India has recorded more than 260,000 new cases of COVID last week.
- Highest weekly rise (67 per cent) in number of cases between 15 and 21 March.
- Maharashtra is the worst affected state, with over 53,000 deaths.
India has recorded 11.6 million cases of the virus so far, and 160,000 people have lost their lives.
Maharashtra remains the worst affected state in the country, with over 53,000 deaths.
The western Indian state reported 30,553 cases on 21 March, the highest in the country, followed by Punjab (2,578) and Kerala (2,078).
Maharashtra’s capital and India’s financial engine, Mumbai, recorded 3,775 cases, the highest single-day riseever in the city. The megapolis now has 23,448 active cases.
The Indian government is advising people to stay safe, but no lockdown has been imposed.
“India is leading the world in its fight against #COVID19 by administrating 30.42% of the total #COVIDVaccine in the world, but the pandemic is not over yet - so, keep following COVID Appropriate Behaviour always," reads a tweet by the Government of India through its citizen engagement platform MyGovIndia.
India’s health minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, urged people not to let their guard down against the infection, else the situation may turn “dangerous”.
“With vaccines available now, people feel they should not wear masks. Maximum people hang their masks around their neck, some keep it in their pocket, and some do not use it at all," the minister said in Parliament on 20 March.
“If we do not follow COVID-appropriate behaviour, then coronavirus will go away slowly from the country and the world.
“I want to appeal to the people of the country that they should not let the COVID- appropriate behaviour get weakened at any cost. Maintaining social distancing, wearing masks properly and washing hands with soap probably are the biggest tools to win the fight against COVID-19,” said Dr Harsh Vardhan.
Despite community messaging from the government, five states – Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh – account for nearly 78 per cent of India’s new cases.
Maharashtra alone reported 27,126 cases and 92 deaths on Sunday.
As coronavirus cases increase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been criticised for exporting more vaccines than the number of people inoculated at home so far.
Under pressure to boost local supplies, the Serum Institute of India – the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, which also manufactured of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine – has reportedly informed Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Morocco that their shipments of more vaccine doses would be delayed.
India has so far donated 8 million doses and sold nearly 52 million to 75 countries. It has administered more than 44 million doses since starting its immunisation campaign in the middle of January.
