New Delhi: India has recorded 11,109 new coronavirus infections, which is the highest in the last seven months, while the active cases increased to 49,622, according to the Union Health Ministry on Friday (April 14). This is a sharp jump from the previous day, when 7,830 cases were reported. The death toll in the country climbed to 5,31,064 with 29 deaths. While three deaths each were reported from Delhi and Rajasthan, two each were from Chhattisgarh and Punjab and one each from Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh besides nine reconciled by Kerala, the ministry stated.
The country witnessed 6,456 recoveries in the last 24 hours and recovery rate has been recorded at 98.70 per cent. Besides, the daily positivity rate was recorded at 5.01 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was pegged at 4.29 per cent.
Amid the surge in cases, several states have issued guidelines and made masks mandatory, among other advisories.
Also Read: India Reports Over 10,000 New COVID-19 Cases, Highest In Nearly Eight Months
DELHI
Delhi recorded over 1,500 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 27.77 per cent in the last 24 hours, according to data shared by the Delhi Health Department. The national capital also reported two COVID-related deaths. The single-day COVID-19 case count in Delhi breached the 1,000-mark for the first time in more than seven months earlier this week, while the positivity rate stood at 23.8 per cent.
WEST BENGAL
Residents of West Bengal’s Siliguri have witnessed a spike in coronavirus cases and appealed to the state government to implement the COVID protocol. Speaking to news agency ANI, resident Biswajit Das, said,
It’s a matter of concern that the number of COVID cases is increasing day by day. although very few positive cases are in West Bengal. The state government has not issued any notification over the COVID protocols. We appeal to the government to issue the notification to avoid any pandemic situation.
Mr. Das further added that most people are not wearing masks in Siliguri, which is also a popular tourist transit hub.
RAJASTHAN
Rajasthan recorded nearly 300 new cases of coronavirus and three deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the state medical and health department. Of the latest infections, 121 were reported in Jaipur, 27 in Jodhpur, 24 in Sikar, 18 in Bikaner and 17 each in Udaipur and Chittorgarh. The two deaths were reported in Jaipur and one in Nagaur. This year, 18 people have died in the state due to COVID-19.
UTTAR PRADESH
Amid a rise in COVID cases, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Health Department issued a set of recommendations that includes practising social distancing and using face masks at offices, schools, colleges, shopping malls, and hospitals, among other public places.
For workplaces, the health department recommended the use of sanitisers, proper cleaning of offices, thermal temperature scanners at office entries, and a work-from-home option for employees showing signs of cold, cough, fever, and flu, and suggested a COVID test for them.
The guidelines came as the district registered 114 more positive cases of COVID in the last 24 hours, pushing the tally to 396 , the highest in 2023.
MAHARASHTRA
Maharashtra recorded 1,086 COVID-19 cases and one death in the last 24 hours, which took the tally to 81,53,377 and the toll to 1,48,471, according to the state health department. It is the second consecutive day when the addition to the tally was above the 1,000 mark.
Mumbai alone accounted for the maximum number of cases. The city reported 274 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which brought the tally to 11,59,819, while the death toll remained at 19,752, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The addition to the tally was a drop from the 320 cases reported earlier in the week. The recovery count in Mumbai increased by 274 to touch 11,38,432, leaving the city with an active caseload of 1,635.
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Himachal Pradesh has reported 440 new COVID-19 cases in the state in the last 24 hours, bringing the tally of active cases to 2145, according to the state health department. Amid the increasing COVID-19 cases, the state government decided to make wearing masks mandatory in hospitals. A presentation of the COVID preparedness in the state was given by the health department in the state cabinet meeting. The Cabinet has also appealed to the public not to panic as the virus is mild.
Cabinet Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan said,
The situation of COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh is under control. 440 cases tested positive today for COVID, and 220 have recovered. There has been no death during the past 24 hours and the total active cases in the state are 2145.
Also Read: Amid Rise In COVID-19 Cases In India, Several States Conduct Mock Drill To Check Preparedness
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
