From positivity rate to first RNA vaccine: Key points from Centre's conference on Covid

Union Health Ministry on Thursday said that four states- Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu still display worrying projections with more than 50,000 active cases.

New Delhi: While India continues to witness a significant decline in the daily Covid-19 cases, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday (February 10) said that four states- Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu still display worrying projections with more than 50,000 active cases. 

“Four states -- Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka -- have more than 50,000 active cases of Covid-19. 11 states have active cases between 10,000 and 50,000,” said Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry while briefing the media on the ongoing Covid situation in the country. 

Here are some key takeaways from Health Ministry’s conference on Covid pandemic developments: 

• Covid daily positivity in Kerala is still enormously high at 29.57%; Mizoram, HP, Arunanchal, Sikkim's positivity is also of concern. 
• Presently, 141 districts have a Covid-19 positivity rate of over 10%; 160 districts have a positivity rate between 5-10% in India, the ministry added. 
• However, the ministry officials said that India’s overall situation is highly optimistic, adding that one should not lower their guards against the virus. 
• On Jan 24, the daily positivity rate was recorded at 20.75%, which has now decreased to 4.44%. 
• The world should remain united to fight this virus and should continue to use the tools that are at our disposal, said Dr VK Paul of NITI Ayog. 
• India’s first homegrown Messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine is being developed by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, said Dr Paul. 
• 96% of the adult population has been given the first dose of the Covid vaccine so far, said Dr Paul calling it a dream for any government. 

Earlier in the day, the government Thursday issued revised guidelines for international arrivals, doing away with the mandatory seven-day home quarantine for those arriving from overseas and the need for them to undertake an RT-PCR test on the eighth day. The revised guidelines will come into effect from February 14.