Covid Surge: India reports 7,830 new Covid cases in 24 hrs, active caseload reaches 40,215

India reported 7,830 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the country's overall caseload to 40,215, said the Union Health Ministry release on Wednesday.

The data revealed that the daily and weekly positivity rates currently stood at 3.65 per cent and 3.83 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, 4,692 recoveries in the last 24 hours increased the total recoveries to 4,42,04,771. In the same period, 2,14,242 tests were conducted increased the total number to 92.32 crore.

Also in the last 24 hours, 441 doses were administered. The country has so far administered 220.66 crore vaccine doses. The active cases stand at 0.09 per cent and the recovery rate is 98.72 per cent.

Mask mandatory in Gurugram

The Gurugram district administration on Tuesday made it mandatory for the general public to wear face masks at all public places, government offices, malls, private offices etc, where there is a gathering of more than 100 people.

According to the administration officials, this decision was taken as a precautionary measure against the sudden surge in Covid-19 cases in Gurugram over the past few weeks.

Gurugram Deputy Commissioner, Nishant Kumar Yadav in his order said, "It is mandatory to wear face masks in public places, malls, government/private offices where more than 100 people gather in the district to prevent the spread of Covid infection, as per the instructions of Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department."

"Covid infection has been increasing in the district for the last few days, so necessary steps have to be taken to prevent Covid infection as per the instructions of the Health Department, in which it is mandatory to wear a mask and maintain proper distance," he said.

Yadav has also instructed all Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Police Department and all department heads to take necessary steps to ensure compliance of the orders.

UP logs 402 fresh Covid cases

In the last 24 hours, Uttar Pradesh recorded 402 new Covid-19 cases, marking the highest single-day spike of this year as well as a jump of 128 per cent since the previous day's figure.

The new cases increased the state's overall active caseload to 1,498 as of Tuesday, including 338 in Lucknow, where 83 people tested positive in the last 24 hours. In Lucknow, seven patients are admitted to Covid facilities.

Meanwhile, one death was also registered in the same period which was reported from Ambedkar Nagar. The state's total death toll now stands at 23,652, according to the Health Department.

In order to check the preparedness of hospitals in the state to tackle the resurgence, the first mock drill of the year was conducted in 75 districts of the state on Tuesday.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak observed the drill at the Balrampur Hospital on Tuesday.

As part of the drill, a speeding ambulance came to the medical facility. Subsequently, ward boys wearing PPE kits took a dummy patient from the ambulance and put IT on a stretcher.

Pathak himself walked along with the 'patient' on the stretcher. As per protocol, the patient's BP, oxygen level, and temperature were checked as soon as he entered the SSB block.

As soon as the patient was shifted to bed, the anaesthesia team gave ventilator support to him. Doctors were successful in giving a life support system to the patient brought on the ambulance within just four minutes of his entering the hospital.

Pathak stayed at the hospital for about half-an-hour. During this, he also examined other facilities -- including the oxygen plant installed in the Balrampur Hospital.

The director of the hospital, Dr Ramesh Goyal, said that the hospital has two oxygen plants to deal with any kind of shortage of oxygen.

Chief medical superintendent Dr G.P. Gupta said that one plant is 960 LPM and the other is 500 LPM. Both plants have been set up with the CSR funds of Indian Oil.

The focus of the mock drill was to check working conditions of oxygen plants, availability and working of oxygen concentrators in hospitals, and preparation of duty roster, among others.

(With inputs from IANS)