The COVID-19 scare in India doesn't seem to end soon as a report claims that India might reach the peak in the second half of April. India is witnessing an increase in the daily new cases of COVID-19 since February, "clearly indicating a second wave", a report by the State Bank of India (SBI) said.
Based on the trends till March 23, in the second wave, the total number of coronavirus cases in India is expected to reach 25 lakh.
The report suggested that 'mass vaccination' is the "only hope" to win the battle against the pandemic as the lockdowns or restrictions have been "ineffective".
"Considering the number of days from the current level of daily new cases to the peak level during the first wave, India might reach the peak in the second half of April," it said.
While on the economic condition, the report stated that the business activity index, based on high frequency indicators, has declined in the last week, adding that the impact of the lockdown or restrictions imposed by certain states might become visible next month.
Like the parliamentary panel, the report too suggests to increase the pace of vaccination across states. Increasing daily vaccination from the current 34 lakh to 40-45 lakh per day would mean that inoculation of citizens over 45 years can be completed in four months from now.
Meanwhile, India today recorded 53,476 fresh coronavirus cases in a day, the biggest single-day jump in over five months. The Health Ministry on March 24 said that a new "double mutant variant" of the coronavirus has been detected in 18 states in the country in addition to many other strains or variants of concern (VOCs) which have also found abroad.
