The Union Health Ministry Saturday said that eight states, which include Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu, contributed 85.5 per cent of active Covid-19 cases and also accounted for 87 per cent deaths due to the viral infection. "It was mentioned that presently eight states - Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal - contribute 85.5 percent active case load and 87 percent total deaths in India," said a Health Ministry statement on the briefing it gave to the Group of Ministers (GoM) on the Covid-19 situation in the country.

The death toll in India due to viral infection was 15,685 so far, and coronavirus cases have crossed 5 lakh. The Health Ministry said it has informed the GoM that Central teams comprising epidemiologists, public health experts and a senior joint secretary level officer have been formed to aid the states in their fight against Covid-19. It added that another central team is visiting Maharashtra, Gujarat and Telangana to take stock of Covid-19 situation in these states.