As India begins the process of unlocking, several states/UTs have started preparation for a possible third wave of Coronavirus infections. Health experts have warned of a possible sudden spike in Covid-19 cases, like the second wave in March-April. Among states, Gujarat has prepared an action plan to tackle any such situation. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced an action plan for this and said his government is prepared to put in efforts almost double the intensity to those made during the second wave. In the action plan, setting up a statewide control system for real-time updates on hospital beds, additional 600 Covid centres, more oxygen and ICU beds and a special focus on children are some of the initiatives the government has planned. The state government is also planning to fill up all the vacancies in medical facilities and boost testing.
Southern state Kerala has announced a two-pronged strategy – increasing vaccination coverage and augment paediatric health infrastructure – in order to get ready for a possible next wave. The government has already prepared a set of guidelines to treat children. Telangana has started strengthening infrastructure at all paediatric hospitals. It has also decided to convert all existing beds in government hospitals into oxygen beds.
With improvement in the Covid-19 situation, many states/UTs have begun the process of unlocking. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are among the major states where gradual unlocking has started amid Covid restrictions. States like Haryana, Karnataka have eased lockdown restrictions and allowed more activities in their states. More states/UTs are looking to open up in the coming days as cases continue to fall.
Meanwhile, India has been reporting below 100,000 new Covid cases for the past few days. India reported 60,471 new coronavirus cases (the lowest after 75 days) in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally of Covid cases to 2,95,70,881, while the daily positivity rate declined to 3.45 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. Active cases further declined to 9,13,378, and now accounted for 3.09 per cent of the total infections.
Deaths in 2nd wave cross 200,000
The official death toll in the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has crossed 200,000. Fatalities recorded since March 1 this year account for nearly three of every five deaths from the virus reported since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2000. India has reported more than 205,000 deaths since March 1 (taken as the beginning of the second wave), which translates to an average of more than 2,000 deaths every day. Fatalities in the second wave are now nearly 57% of all Covid deaths in the country. India's cumulative death toll from Covid currently stands at 3,63,029.
Globally, only Brazil, with nearly 225,000 deaths, recorded a higher toll during this 102-day period. The toll in the US - which cumulatively has the highest deaths at more than 610,000 - was 82,738 since March1 (counting that day).
While daily fatalities in India have been decreasing over the last three weeks or so, more than 16,300 earlier deaths have been added to the toll since the first week of May in data reconciliation exercises, with Maharashtra accounting for 11,583, Bihar 3,951 and Uttarakhand 779. In the last two days alone, as many as 5,873 old deaths were added, 3,951 by Bihar and the rest by Maharashtra.
Mask use in U-5 kids
New guidelines for management of Covid-19 infection in kids discourages use of masks in children, particularly aged 5 years and below, in what appears to be an assessment that risk of infection is small as well as concerns that masks may pose safety issues. Children aged 6-11 years may wear a mask depending on the ability of the child to use it safely under the direct supervision of parents or guardian. However, children above12 should wear a mask just as adults do.
