Ensure strict local containment measures in districts with high COVID caseload: MHA to states

New Delhi, Apr 29: The Centre directed the states and Union territories on Thursday to go for intensive and local containment measures in districts with a high number of COVID-19 cases to check the spread of the viral disease.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), however, did not mention anything about the imposition of a lockdown anywhere in the country in the fresh guidelines issued in view of the pandemic for May.

It asked the states and Union territories to identify the districts where either the COVID positivity rate was more than 10 per cent or the bed occupancy was over 60 per cent in the last one week. The districts fulfilling any of the above two criteria should be considered for taking intensive and local containment measures, a statement issued by the MHA said.

The implementation framework for community containment and large containment areas, as advised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has also been enclosed with the MHA order.

The MHA also asked the states to consider the containment measures, as conveyed in an advisory issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on April 25 for immediate implementation based on an assessment of the situation.

The national directives for COVID-19 management shall continue to be strictly followed throughout the country, the statement said.

The MHA order shall be effective till May 31.

With a record single-day rise of 3,79,257 cases, India''s COVID-19 tally has climbed to 1,83,76,524, while the number of active cases has crossed the 30-lakh mark, the health ministry said on Thursday.

The death toll due to the viral disease has gone up to 2,04,832 with a record 3,645 daily new fatalities, the ministry''s data updated at 8 am showed.

Registering a steady increase, the number of active cases has climbed to 30,84,814, accounting for 16.79 per cent of the total cases, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further dropped to 82.10 per cent.