Covid-19 Cases Cross 90,000 in India

Highest Deaths also recorded in the Last 24 hours

The number of confirmed cases of Covid19 in India crossed 90,000, with the last 24 hours recording the single highest case load increase of up to 4,987 cases.

According to Health Ministry data, up to 90,927 cases were recorded on May 17, of which 34,109, up to 37 per cent, have recovered while 2,872 persons (3.15 per cent) have died. The highest number of deaths -- up to 120 -- were also recorded between May 16 and 17.

Maharashtra alone recorded 30,706 cases, of which 7,088 have recovered. The death toll in Maharashtra has crossed thousand, with 1,135 reported deaths. The State has witnessed a case surge, with 1,606 positive persons being added to the records within a single day on May 17 and 67 new deaths.

Gujarat comes a close second with confirmed cases crossing 10,000 on May 17, with 10,988 positive cases of which 4,308 have been cured, while 625 persons have died. Delhi is inching close to the thousand confirmed cases mark with 9,333 Covid19 cases, of which 3,926 have recovered and 129 persons have died.

Up to 30 municipal areas in the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha are contributing to 80 per cent of Covid-19 cases, according to Health Ministry data.

The Ministry said municipal corporations, residential colonies, mohallas, municipal wards or police station area, municipal zones or towns can be designated as containment zones if the need arises. “The area should be defined by the district administration or the local urban body with technical inputs from the local level,” the Health Ministry has stated in its preparedness plan for urban settlements.

The Ministry also stated that an Incident Commander of appropriate seniority should be identified depending upon the geographic extent of settlements and population size. This official will identify the planning, operation, logistics and finance teams to implement preparedness and report to the Municipal Commissioner.

Any Influenza-like Illness or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness case will be a trigger for action to treat it as a suspect Covid-19 case in these high burden urban settlements, said the Health Ministry. Section 144 under the Criminal Procedure Code will be enforced to ensure people remain in their homes.