Covid cases cross 7K mark, masks mandate on flights

Fresh coronavirus cases are on the rise in parts of India. The country has logged 7,240 fresh cases in the last 24 hours (as of Thursday morning). 

But the rise in cases is not uniform or scattered across the country. Maharashtra and Kerala are the states where cases are rising sharply. Even in Maharashtra, a majority of the rise is accounted for by Mumbai. Kerala has always been notorious for Covid mismanagement. 

Here is what the Union Health Ministry today said about the cases. The caseload rose 7000 for the first time in 99 days. 

Here are some key facts: 

The daily positivity rate crossed 2% after 111 days, the Ministry added. The active caseload in the country stands at 32,498. They presently constitute 0.08% of the total cases. The Recovery Rate currently stands at 98.71%, while cumulative recoveries are over 4.26 crore. The Daily Positivity Rate stands at 2.13%.

Meanwhile, the pace of vaccination is encouraging. “India’s cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 194.59 crore. Over 3.47 crore first dose vaccines have been administered for age group 12-14 years,” the Ministry today said. 

Meanwhile, the DGCA has made wearing face masks mandatory in airports and flights. A mask can be removed only under exceptional circumstances.