India reported 41,806 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, and 581 deaths due to the coronavirus, said the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Thursday.
There has been less than one lakh new coronavirus cases for the last 37 days. The active cases have now come down below 5 lakh. The country has 4,32,041 active cases presently and has witnessed a total of 4,11,989 deaths so far.
According to the Union Health Ministry, a total of 39,130 people were discharged in the last 24 hours, taking the total discharge to 3,01,43,850 till date.
The Ministry said that a total of 39,13,40,491 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 34,97,058 who were administered vaccines in the last 24 hours.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 43,80,11,958 samples have been tested up to July 14 for Covid-19. Of these 19,43,488 samples were tested on Wednesday.
On July 6, India recorded 553 deaths -- lowest since April 6. This was after May 23 when India saw record fatalities with 4,454 deaths in 24 hours at the peak of the second wave. The first death in the country due to the pandemic was reported in March 2020.
Centre asks States to regulate crowded places
In view of the new surge in cases, the central government on Wednesday asked all states and the Union Territories (UTs) to issue strict directions to district and other local authorities concerned to regulate the crowded places and take necessary measures for management of Covid-19.
The direction comes in the wake of "blatant violations" of Covid norms in several parts of the country, especially in public transport and hill stations at a time when third wave of the deadly virus has already started in various countries and there is possibility that it will hit India if people fail in following appropriate safety measures specified by the government.
In an advisory to Chief Secretaries of all states, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) made it clear that the officers concerned should be made personally responsible for any laxity in strict enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour.
The advisory sent by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla also advised that orders issued by the respective state governments or UT administrations, district authorities in this regard should be widely disseminated to the public and to the field functionaries for their proper implementation.
The MHA advisory came after reports of massive crowds thronging the marketplaces violating norms of social distancing and consequently increased in 'R' factor (Reproduction number) in some of the states -- a matter of concern.
The advisory warned that "any increase in 'R' factor above 1.0 is an indicator of spread of Covid".
"Therefore, it is important that authorities concerned shall be made responsible for ensuring Covid appropriate behaviour in all crowded places, such as shops, malls, weekly markets, market complexes, restaurants and bars, mandis, bus stations, railway platforms or stations, public parks and gardens, gymnasiums, banquet halls, sports complexes, as well as areas identified as hotspots for transmission of Covid-19 virus."
The advisory also stressed on the need for continuous focus on the five-fold strategy for effective management of Covid-19 -- Test, Track, Treat, Vaccination and adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour.
The Home Ministry issued the advisory a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags crowding issue while interacting with chief ministers of northeast states, saying "the crowds at hill stations and markets where people are not wearing masks or following Covid-19 protocols are a matter of concern".
