'Third wave may not happen if...': Here's what Modi govt's top scientific advisor has to say

'Third wave may not happen if...': Here's what Modi govt's top scientific advisor has to say

FPJ Web DeskUpdated: Friday, May 07, 2021, 05:34 PM IST
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Health workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE kit) attend to Covid-19 coronavirus patients inside a banquet hall temporarily converted into a Covid care centre in New Delhi on May 7, 2021. | (Photo by AFP)

India may not witness a deadly third wave of the coronavirus if necessary steps are taken, the government's top scientific adviser Dr. K VijayRaghavan said on Friday.

"If we take strong measures, the third wave may not happen in all the places or indeed anywhere at all. It depends much on how effectively the guidance is implemented at the local level, in the states, in districts & in the cities everywhere," he said.

This comes two days after Dr. K VijayRaghavan said that the third wave is "inevitable". "Phase 3 (third wave) is inevitable, given the high levels at which this virus is circulating. But it is not clear at what time scale this Phase 3 will occur. Hopefully, incrementally, but we should prepare for new waves. Ongoing surveillance is needed as are vaccine upgrades," Dr K VijayRaghavan had said.

COVID-19 positivity rate above 15 per cent in 24 states at present: Health Ministry

Twelve states have over one lakh active COVID-19 cases each at present, while the count is between 50,000 and one lakh in seven, the Health Ministry said on Friday as the country battles a second wave of the viral disease.

The positivity rate is currently above 15 per cent in 24 states in the country and in the range of 5-15 per cent in nine, the ministry said.

It said Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Chhattisgarh are among states and union territories showing continued plateauing or decrease in daily new COVID-19 cases.

However, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Odisha are among those showing an upward trend in daily new cases of the infection, the ministry added.

India records 4.14 lakh new COVID-19 cases, 3,915 deaths in the last 24 hours

India has recorded 4,14,188 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours -- the highest so far, along with 3,915 fatalities, taking the total number of cases in the country to 2,14,91,598, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday morning.

It is the third time after May 1 that India has crossed the four lakh mark. It is the 15th straight day when India recorded more than three lakh cases while over 3,000 casualties have been reported for the last nine days.

India's total tally of COVID-19 cases now stands at 2,14,91,598 with 36,45,164 active cases and a total of 2,34,083 deaths, so far.

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