CHANDIGARH: UT now stands with Maharashtra and Punjab, where the weekly average growth of Covid cases is above 1%, while the national average is 0.49%. In weekly positivity rate too, it remains at the second slot after Maharashtra with 12.8% figure, while the national average is 5.8%. In the past one week, the number of new infections has grown by an average of 1% or more every day. Also, for every 100 confirmed cases, around 10 are currently infected.
In the past two weeks, the city has seen 3,377 cases. From March 18 until September-mid last year, the active cases rose in six months to over 2,700. But these have now increased in the past three months to over 2,700. “This second wave is more transmissible. It is mainly due to the non-compliant behaviour of the public rather than the mutant virus. It was found that out of some 11,064 samples, 855 had those new variants. So, we need to follow Covid appropriate behaviour strictly,” said a public health expert.
The Union ministry of health and family welfare, on Tuesday, asked the health authorities of the states and UTs to review the geographical spread of infection and identify possible sources. “There is a need to have a serological surveillance in the city. We have no idea about how many have developed antibodies after vaccination in the city. This will help us focus on those areas or sections of people who are vulnerable and need protection, so that fatality rate can be managed,” said an epidemiologist.