COVID-19 situation turning worse, whole country at risk: Centre warns states

The Centre warned that the situation is turning from 'bad to worse' as some states continue to report high number of COVID-19 cases, it stressed that the whole country is at risk.

New Delhi: The Centre Tuesday pulled up the states with high number of coronavirus cases claiming that the situation 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," NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul said.

Further, he said, "COVID-19 situation is turning from bad to worse. In the last few weeks, especially in some states, it is a huge cause for worry. No state, no part of the country should be complacent."

At a press conference, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan listed out the 10 districts which have reported the maximum COVID-19 cases, they are; Pune (59,475), Mumbai (46,248), Nagpur (45,322), Thane (35,264), Nashik (26,553), Aurangabad (21,282), Bengaluru Urban (16,259), Nanded (15,171), Delhi (8,032), Ahmednagar (7,952).

Eight of the top 10 districts are from Maharashtra and that Delhi, taken as one district, is also on the list.

Meanwhile, India on Tuesday reported 56,211 new cases in the last 24 hours. The Health and Family Welfare's data showed that India registered 68,020 new cases which was also reportedly the highest single-day rise in over 5 months. More than 60,000 infections are being reported daily for the past few days.

The six states of Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat continue to report a surge in the COVID-19 daily new cases accounting for nearly 78.56% of the new cases. Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 31,643. It is followed by Punjab with 2,868 while Karnataka reported 2,792 new cases.