Single-day count dips, Kerala first state to see no new case

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, May 6

After yesterday’s surge in new Covid-19 cases over 24 hours, the country today saw an encouraging dip in the single-day infections, recording 2,680 fresh cases as the national count touched 49,391.

The new cases today marked a 31 per cent decline over yesterday when the government admitted to witnessing the highest single-day peak with 3,875 cases.

India’s overall decline in single-day cases today coincided with Kerala’s outstanding performance with the state becoming the first in the country to see zero new infections in the last 24 hours. Kerala was also the first state to see India’s initial three Covid patients, starting January 30.

No new case was seen in eight of Kerala’s 14 districts today with only 30 patients currently getting treatment. Since January 30, the state has reported 502 cases so far with 462 patients already discharged, posting the highest recovery rate (92 per cent) in India.

Since the government released the list of red, orange and green districts to states, Kerala has not seen any new hotspots either.

Central experts today said they were looking for Kerala-like pockets of hope across India, with contact tracing of patients, isolation, containment and quarantine measures well managed and executed.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, meanwhile, held a meeting with his counterparts in Maharashtra and Gujarat, the two states carrying the highest Covid case burden nationally along with Delhi. The minister stressed active containment, strict compliance with lockdown measures and perimeter control in all containment zones within the hotspot districts. Dharavi in Maharashtra has become the biggest red zone with 33 new cases reported today.

Maharashtra accounts for 15,525 cases out of India’s 49,391, which is 31 per cent of the total. Gujarat’s case count is 6,245.

66 more BSF personnel test positive, count 154

With 66 fresh Covid positive cases, the total count of infected personnel among the BSF ranks has now reached 154, officials said. Of them, over 60 personnel were deployed for law and order duties in Jamia and Chandni Mahal area of the national capital.

Punjab shops to open 7 am to 3 pm

Chandigarh: Shops in Punjab will now open 7 am to 3 pm. Bank hours for public dealing remain the same (9 am to 1 pm.). The banks can continue to carry out non-public dealing work as per their requirement, says an order issued by the Home Department. TNS

At 13.2%, mortality rate highest in Bengal

West Bengal continued to be a trouble spot for the Centre with the government saying on Wednesday that the disease in the state was marked by low testing and very high death rate. The death rate in Bengal is 13.20 pc, the highest among all states. The government also said it was concerned about incidents of ostracisation of Covid warriors in the state, and lack of quarantine facilities.