India`s COVID-19 situation going from `bad to worse` as country records over 1 lakh cases in 24 hours for first time

According to the official data, India reported 1,03,558 new cases and 478 deaths in the last 24 hours.

New Delhi: India recorded over 1 lakh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, its highest single-day rise since the coronavirus outbreak. The situation in the country has now probably gone from 'bad to worse' as the Centre warned a week back. According to the official data released on Monday (April 5, 2021), India reported 1,03,558 new infections and 478 deaths in the last 24 hours.

India's active cases have now crossed 7.41 lakh, whereas the death toll has now increased to 1.65 lakh. The total number of COVID-19 cases in India has now soared to 1.25 crore, of which, 1.16 crore are recoveries.

The grim milestone comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the COVID-19 pandemic situation and vaccination program in the country. 

He directed that for sustainable COVID-19 management, awareness of the community and its involvement is paramount and there is a need to continue Jan Bhagidari and Jan Andolan for COVID-19 management. 

The Prime Minister mentioned that the five-fold strategy of Testing, Tracing, Treatment, COVID-appropriate behaviour and Vaccination if implemented with utmost seriousness and commitment, would be effective in containing the transmission of the virus.

PM Modi highlighted the need to enforce COVID appropriate behaviour in the coming days and ensure the availability of beds, testing facilities and timely hospitalization, etc. He called attention to avoid mortality under all circumstances by ramping up healthcare infrastructure, availability of oxygen, ventilators besides required logistics, and ensuring that clinical management protocols are followed across all hospitals as well as for those in-home care.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, a special campaign for COVID appropriate behaviour with emphasis on 100% mask usage, personal hygiene and sanitation at public places, workplaces and health facilities will be organised from April 6 to April 14.

Prime Minister Modi had also directed that central teams consisting of public health specialists and clinicians be sent to Maharashtra in view of high caseload and deaths, and likewise to Punjab and Chhattisgarh because of the disproportionate number of deaths being reported there. These three have been the worst COVID-19-hit Indian states in the past few weeks.

During PM's meeting, a detailed presentation was made which highlighted that there is an alarming rate of growth of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country with 10 states contributing to more than 91% of cases and deaths due to coronavirus.

The PMO stated that till Sunday, Maharashtra has contributed 57% of total cases in the country in the last 14 days and 47% of deaths in the country during the same period, whereas, Punjab has contributed 4.5% of the total number of cases in the country in the last 14 days and has contributed 16.3% of the total number of deaths. Chhattisgarh has contributed 4.3% of total cases in the country over the last 14 days, its contribution in total death has exceeded 7% during the same period. 

The 10 high burden states and UTs are contributing 91.4% of total cases and 90.9% of total deaths in India.