New Delhi: Head of epidemiology and infectious diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Samiran Panda on Friday warned that the third wave of the COVID-19 might hit the country by August end.


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He also warned states that witnessed the low impact of the first two waves of COVID-19, cautioning that they might experience a severe third wave if restrictions are not maintained.


Speaking to ANI, Dr Panda said, "It is important for each state to examine pandemics and take a call regarding the COVID-19 situation there. There are states where the first and second waves of COVID-19 had a low impact. If the restrictions are not maintained now then these states may be severely impacted by the third wave."


"There might be a third wave as it is not inevitable than the second wave. If the third wave happens, it will hit sometime around August end, it is not inevitable," Dr Panda said that the third wave of coronavirus may come around August end. 


"When will the third wave come and how severe it can be, all these questions are related to many factors which are not known to the full extent. They say that the second wave is not over yet because there are fluctuations in the reported number of cases. The fluctuation certainly has to do with the test conducted and the reporting mechanism," he said.


Speaking about some states with high COVID-19 cases, Dr Panda said that the pandemic is taking a very heterogeneous course in states.


"We should not talk about the whole country as the pandemic is taking a very heterogeneous course in states, so each state must look into their state-specific data and try to see at which stage of the pandemic they are in," he added.