COVID 2.0: Situation getting worse, wear mask, says government

Devotees play ‘Huranga’ at Dauji temple, near Mathura, on Tuesday. Huranga is played a day after Holi, during which men drench women with colours and women tear off the clothes of the men. PIC/PTI

The coronavirus situation is "turning from bad to worse" and is a huge cause of worry especially for some states, the Centre said on Tuesday while stressing that the whole country is at risk and nobody should be complacent. The state came as the country recorded 56,211 new cases and 271 deaths in a span of 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry's data updated at 8 am on Tuesday.

NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul said, "COVID-19 situation is turning from bad to worse. In the past few weeks, especially in some states, it is a huge cause for worry. No state, no part of the country or district should be complacent."

"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. "Hospital and ICU preparations have to be readied. If the cases increase rapidly, the healthcare system would be overwhelmed, Paul said. The average national positivity rate during last week was 5.65 per cent.

On variants of the virus, the health secretary said 10 laboratories have done genome sequencing of 11,064 samples since December of which the UK variant was detected in 807 samples, South African variant in 47 and Brazilian variant in one. From April 1, people above the age of 45 years would be eligible for vaccination. They can register themselves in the CoWIN platform, the Aarogya Setu app or go for on-site registrations which would start after 3 pm, the health ministry said.

2021 economic output to remain below 2019's: UN

India's economic output in 2021 is expected to remain below the 2019 level despite roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, said a report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific on Tuesday. India is estimated to record an economic growth of 7 per cent in 2021-22, over a contraction of 7.7 per cent witnessed in the previous fiscal on account of the pandemic's impact on normal business activity.

Flyers not wearing mask properly could be fined

Aviation regulator DGCA on Tuesday told airports to increase surveillance and consider imposing spot fines, with the help of police, on passengers not wearing masks properly and violating physical distance rule. The DGCA on Tuesday said, "During the surveillance of some airports, it has come to notice that compliance (of COVID-19 protocols) is not satisfactory." "The possibility of taking punitive action, such as spot fines shall also be explored."

1,20,95,855
Total number of cases in the country as of sunday

1,62,114
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India

1,13,93,021
Patients recovered and discharged in India as of Sunday

6,11,13,354
(Total no. of people vaccinated so far)

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