COVID-19: India registers more than 50,000 new cases, a day after Centre warns situation going from 'bad to worse'

India reported 53,480 new infections in the last 24 hours, of which, 84.73% were recorded from eight states.

File Photo (Reuters)

New Delhi: India, probably witnessing its second COVID-19 wave, registered more than 50,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, a day after the Centre warned that the coronavirus situation is going from 'bad to worse' in the country. 

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's official data, the country reported 53,480 new infections, of which, 84.73% were recorded from eight states.

"Eight states, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh report a surge in the COVID-19 daily new cases," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in an official statement. 

Maharashtra which is India's worst COVID-19-hit state added the highest daily new cases at 27,918. It is followed by Chhattisgarh (3,108) and Karnataka (2,975).

The country, notably, has been reporting more than 50,000 infections for the past few days. 

The Centre informed that ten states, as shown under, are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new coronavirus cases.

India's total COVID-19 active count has also soared to 5.52 lakh, whereas the death toll was increased by 354 to 1,62,468.

A day before, Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), had warned that the COVID-19 situation in India is turning from 'bad to worse' and stressed that the whole country is at risk. 

"We are facing an increasingly severe and intense situation, more so surely in some districts. But the whole country is potentially at risk and therefore all efforts to contain and save lives should be taken," Paul said.

Earlier on March 27, the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a high-level meet with 12 states and UTs that are reporting a surge in cases.

According to the MoHFW, the states were informed that the country has seen the sharpest rise in weekly COVID-19 cases and fatalities since May 2020 (7.7% and 5.1% respectively). The states and UTs were advised to focus on stringent containment and public health measures in 46 high burden districts. The following five-fold strategy was also laid out for adoption by the states and UTs for effective containment and management of the COVID-19 pandemic: 1. Increased testing and vaccination 2. Effective tracing 3. Prompt isolation 4. Efficient clinical treatment, and 5. Adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour.