'Next 100 days crucial': Centre hints at third wave, says Covid situation may get worse

NEW DELHI: Citing the rising Covid cases in many parts of the world as well as a few states in the country, the Centre on Friday raised a red flag saying that situation could get worse from here and added the next 100 days are going to be crucial.

In the latest bulletin, the World Health Organisation has said that Covid cases and deaths have increased by 10% and 3% respectively last week and 5 out of its six regions are now witnessing a surge in cases while the highly transmissible delta variant of SARS CoV 2 has reached 111 countries.

In a press briefing on the Covid situation in India on Friday by the Union Health Ministry, VK Paul who heads the national task force on coronavirus said that the world moving towards the third wave of the pandemic should be seen as a red flag, as stressed by PM Narendra Modi.

Modi had a meeting with the Chief Ministers of 6 states -- Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Karnataka -- where the cases are either rising or have plateaued at a high number.

“PM has given us the target to stall the third wave and it is possible,” Paul said, adding that while the situation is under control now, it may change for the worse if public health measures are not taken and individuals do not behave responsibly.  

In the briefing, the authorities also highlighted that while Spain has seen a 64% hike in weekly Covid cases, Netherlands has recorded a 300% spike in Covid-19 cases.

“The situation was stable in Thailand for a long time but now it is also reporting a spike. Africa too has clocked a 50% increase in Covid-19 cases,” said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the ministry, and added that Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh too are now seeing an unprecedented spike.

Paul highlighted that a large population in India is still vulnerable.

“We have not reached herd immunity -- not even through infection. not that we want to achieve herd immunity through natural infection. We are making continuous progress in vaccination,” he said.

He also underlined that at least 50% of the most vulnerable population is now vaccinated.

Meanwhile, authorities expressed concern over the minimal use of face masks adding that the face masks should now be the new normal for people

“As we have resumed activities, analysis shows a projected decline in the use of face masks. We should include the use of face masks in our daily routine as the new normal,” said Agarwal.

As per the data shared by the government, there are 47 districts in India as of now which have over 10% Covid19 test positivity rate, and 9—the highest—of these are in the northeastern state of Manipur.

There are also 73 districts in the country presently which are reporting over 100 cases every day.