Eight states account for 90% of Covid burden: Health Ministry

New Delhi, July 9

Even as Covid-19 cases topped 7,67,296 today after a record daily surge of 24,879 infections, the government said India was not in community transmission stage and it was only witnessing local outbreaks amenable to containment.

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The Health Ministry said 49 of India’s 733 districts accounted for 80 per cent of all Covid cases and 90 per cent active infections. Likewise, 90 per cent of disease burden came from just eight states (Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat), while six states (Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal) made up 86 per cent of deaths.

Meanwhile, the Centre said the DG ICMR’s letter mentioning August 15 launch for the ICMR-Bharat Biotech indigenous Covid vaccine was only meant to fast-track the processes to ensure speedy launch. “Don’t read what’s not there in the letter,” the Health Ministry said, dialling down the August 15 deadline. — TNS

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