Covid-19: 35% dip in active cases as 24 states see 2nd wave ebbing

Driven by a steady increase in testing, drop in case positivity and a rising recovery rate, 24 states reported a decline in active cases since last week, the health ministry said, underlining that while the ebbing of the second wave was reassuring, there was no room for laxity in containment measures and Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Currently, the active caseload of Covid-19 stands at 24.2 lakh, after a reduction of 35% from 37.4 lakh active cases recorded on May 9. While an average of more than 20 lakh tests are being conducted daily for last nine days, the average weekly positivity has dropped over the last three weeks from 21.5% during April 29-May 5 to 10.4% during May 20-26.




Though the improvement is significant, a positivity rate of more than 10% is a cause of concern and efforts are needed to ensure that it falls below 5% and that high caseload states like Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu remain on a declining path of infections even after lockdowns are eased.

“It is reassuring that we are on the downswing of the second wave but we have achieved this significant change because of restrictions in many states. We do hope and believe that it will be sustained if restrictions open up systematically as the time comes,” said Dr V K Paul, member health in Niti Aayog.

“Daily cases have not breached the 300,000-mark since May 17, ” Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry said. Daily case positivity has been below 10% for last three days.