IT Correspondent
Mumbai/New Delhi, Mar 24:
While the first anniversary of a nation-wide lock down (phase I March 25, 2020 –April 14,2020) is falling on Thursday, India recorded 47,262 new cases of the coronavirus disease in a timespan of 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 11,734,058, as per the Union health ministry update on Wednesday morning.
The country also recorded 275 related fatalities, its highest one-day toll this year. The fatality count pushed the death toll up to 1,60,441, the ministry data showed. In the last few days, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu reported a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases. These states together account for 80.90 per cent of the new cases, according to the ministry.
India’s total active caseload is rising after touching its lowest mark in mid-February. On Wednesday morning it stood at 23,080. Maharashtra reported 30,535 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, which could send the country’s overall cases to nearly four-month high.
While the government on Tuesday announced that everyone above the age of 45 years can get themselves vaccinated from April 1, 2021 onwards, India crossed a significant milestone in the fight against Covid-19 when cumulative number of vaccine doses crossed five crore. These include 79,03,068 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the 1st dose and 50,09,252 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 83,33,713 frontline workers (FLWs) (1st dose), 30,60,060 FLWs (2nd dose), 2,12,03,700 beneficiaries more than 60 years old and 45,65,369 beneficiaries aged 45 and above with specific co-morbidities.
New MHA guidelines
Amid the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued new guidelines for effective control of the disease. The guidelines will be effective from April 1 to 30 April 2021.
No restriction on Inter-State and intra-State movement
No restriction on Inter-State and intra-State movement from April 1 to April 30,2021. The Centre in its order categorically stated that there should be no restriction on Inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods including those for cross land-border trade under Treaties with neighbouring countries. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements, the MHA said.
Vaccination
State/UT governments should promote COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. The Union home ministry urged state governments to encourage people to get themselves vaccinated against coronavirus. They should strictly enforce the Test-Track-Treat protocol. The states and UTs, where the proportion of RT-PCR tests is less, should rapidly increase it, to reach the prescribed level of 70 per cent or more.
Isolation
The new positive cases, detected as a result of intensive testing, need to be isolated/ quarantined at the earliest and provide timely treatment, the MHA said and asked the state and the UT governments to ensure that COVID-19 appropriate behaviour is promoted in workplaces and crowded areas.
The MHA also asked the governments to ensure that people wear face masks and maintain social distancing at public places. The states and UTs may consider administrative actions, including the imposition of appropriate fines against violators. Besides, based on their assessment of the situation, the states/UTs can impose local restrictions, at district/ sub-district and city/ ward level.
Also, the MHA announced on Tuesday that everyone above the age of 45 years can get themselves vaccinated from April 1, 2021 onwards. India crossed a significant milestone in the fight against Covid-19 when cumulative number of vaccine doses crossed five crore.
While releasing the guidelines, the government said the new rules is to consolidate the substantial gains achieved in containing the spread of COVID-19, which was visible in the sustained decline in the number of active cases, continuously for about five months.
