'Kerala sole state in India with over 1 lakh active Covid cases', says Health Ministry

New Delhi [India], August 26 (ANI): Union Health Ministry on Thursday said that out of the 46,000 new COVID-19 cases that were reported in India over the last 24 hours, up to 58 per cent were from Kerala alone, while the rest of the states are still exhibiting a declining trend.
Addressing a press briefing here media on the COVID-19 situation, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said "Kerala has more than 1 lakh active cases. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh have 10,000 to one lakh active COVID-19 cases."
A total of 30,007 new Covid cases over the last 24 hours were reported in Kerala on Thursday.
Kerala contributes to 51 per cent, Maharastra 16 per cent, and the rest of the three states contribute to 4-5 per cent of the cases in the country, the union health secretary said.
The health secretary highlighted that 80 lakh doses of vaccine were administered in the country in the last 24 hours. "As we speak, more than 47 lakh doses have been administered so far today," he said.
The health secretary also said that the second surge of COVID-19 has not yet come to an end in the country. "It is not over and therefore, we have to maintain all necessary precautions, particularly in light of our experience that after every festival we see a spike. The coming months of September and October are crucial for us because we would be celebrating a few festivals. Thus festivals have to be celebrated with Covid-appropriate behaviour," Bhushan said.
Speaking about the evacuees from Afghanistan, Bhushan said, "So far over 400 people (from Afghanistan) have been brought on flights. We've made arrangements at all airports - be it civil airports or military airbases - to administer the anti-polio vaccine to them because Pakistan and Afghanistan have wild polio."
"We have arranged for RT-PCR tests for the people. Some tested positive and they have been isolated. Some people hospitalised. Many people have been quarantined at Chhawla ITBP camp, they'll be there for 14 days. In view of their symptoms, further decisions will be taken," he added further. (ANI)