Images of people thronging hill stations 'frightening', govt stresses on following Covid protocols

The government on Tuesday cautioned that people roaming in hill stations and markets without following COVID-19-appropriate behaviours can nullify the gains made in the management of the pandemic so far.

Stressing that the pandemic was not yet over, an official described the images of large numbers of people thronging popular hill stations as "frightening".

The government said violations of Covid protocols will lead to a further increase in infections as it stressed on wearing of masks and maintaining physical distancing.

The second wave of COVID-19 has come down in most states. However, some states are still in the midst of the second wave and the areas reporting a test positivity rate of over 10 per cent have to impose/reinstate restriction measures, it said.

In a joint press conference on the pandemic situation and vaccination status, a senior official said as many as 73 districts across 17 states and union territories reported more than 10 per cent Covid positivity rate in the week from June 29 to July 5.

A total of 91 districts in the country reported more than 100 daily new cases in the week ending July 4, he said.

Eighty per cent of Covid cases in India were reported from 90 districts across 14 states and union territories, indicating the need for focused attention in these areas, the official said.

With 553 fresh fatalities, India recorded the lowest daily death toll in around 90 days while 34,703 new cases of coronavirus were reported, the lowest in 111 days, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

With the fresh cases, the total tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 3,06,19,932, while the death toll climbed to 4,03,281.

The active cases further declined to 4,64,357, the lowest in 101 days, and comprise 1.52 per cent of the total infections.