Mutant Covid variants found in Maharashtra, Kerala but canât be linked to case surge, govt says
Kerala, which had 55,752 active cases as of Tuesday, and Maharashtra, with 54,306 active cases, account for 75 per cent of Indiaâs total caseload.
Abantika Ghosh 23 February, 2021 7:34 pm IST Text Size:
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New Delhi: Mutant strains of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, have been detected in both Maharashtra and Kerala but there is no reason to link the variant strains to the recent case upsurge in the two states, NITI Ayog member (health) Dr V.K. Paul said Tuesday.Â
Kerala, which had 55,752 active cases as of Tuesday, and Maharashtra, with 54,306 active cases, account for 75 per cent of Indiaâs total caseload.Â
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Highlights
NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul said that 187 people have tested positive for the UK strain of SARS-CoV-2 in the country so far.
Six have been detected with the South Africa variant.
Also, one person has been detected with the Brazil variant so far.
There is no direct relation between the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra and some other states, and the mutant virus strains N440K and E484Q of SARS-CoV-2, the Centre said on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference, NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul said that 187 people have tested positive for the UK strain of SARS-CoV-2 in the country so far, while six have been detected with the South Africa variant. Also, one person has been detected with the Brazil variant so far.
Vaccinate Frontline Staff Quickly: Centre To States Reporting Covid Surge The second stage of vaccination - in which 27 crore people over the age of 50 (and those under but with co-morbidities) - will get the shots in mid-march, the centre said
Updated: February 23, 2021 10:47 pm IST
India has vaccinated around 1.19 crore people so far (File)
New Delhi:
The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday wrote to five states that have reported a daily surge in new coronavirus cases and asked them to expedite vaccination of healthcare staff and frontline workers in districts that have recorded the biggest spikes in fresh infections. . confer immunity in shortest possible time frame to healthcare and frontline workers, as they are also involved in containment, surveillance and management of COVID-19 cases, said the letter that was sent to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, J&K and Chhattisgarh.