Covid on decline, End additional curbs, Centre to states

The Centre has asked  states and UT's to end Covid-19 restrictions, saying the pandemic has been on a declining trend since last week. In a letter sent to chief secretaries and chief administrators of all states and UTs on Wednesday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the coronavirus pandemic in India is showing a sustained declining trend since January 21. The average daily cases during last week were 50,476, and 27,409 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The daily case positivity rate declined to 3.63 per cent on Wednesday.

"Presently, as the case trajectory across the nation is showing a sustained downward trend, it will be useful if states/UTs review and amend/do away with the additional restrictions so imposed after considering the trend of new cases, active cases and positivity within the state and UT," he said. The health secretary asked states to follow the five-fold strategy of test, track, treat, vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behavior. Bhushan underlined that states and UTs must also continue monitoring the trajectory of cases and spread of infection on a daily basis.