COVID-19: As India reports over 400 new cases, govt urges these six states to monitor situation

After a gap of nearly four months, India has been witnessing a rise in Covid cases. On Friday (March 17), the country recorded new 426 COVID-19 cases bringing the total active toll to 4,623, while one death was reported in the southern state Karnataka, according to the updated website data of the Union Health Ministry.  The total reported cases to stand at 40.46 million with the death toll at 530,790.

The ministry further added that the national coronavirus recovery has been recorded at 98.80 per cent, Times Now reported. 

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On Thursday (March 16), India reported over 700 COVID-19 cases. 

The country last recorded this many cases back in November 2022. On Nov 12, India reported some 734 cases. 

Also read | US: FDA approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for children under five

Following the spike in Covid cases, the health ministry has urged the six most affected states to follow a "risk assessment-based approach to prevent" and "control the spread of the virus."

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala urged the states to examine the situation of the virus at the micro-level and maintain their focus on the implementation of necessary preventive measures. 

Top health officials stressed the need to monitor emerging new cases, influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases in all health institutions across the country. 

(With inputs from agencies) 

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