NEW DELHI, May 5: A third wave of the coronavirus is “inevitable,” the government’s top scientific adviser warned on Wednesday, as officials said a national lockdown was being discussed given the crisis that has overwhelmed hospitals and left thousands dead.
- Vijay Raghavan, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the central government, warned that a third wave of Corona was inevitable in the country.
Addressing the media during the Health Ministry’s briefing, Raghavan said the second wave was expected while the third wave was inevitable and “we have to be prepared and vaccine updates were needed.”
He said it was vital that people persisted with Covid-appropriate behaviour as the virus-variants don’t change behaviour. He said the vaccines were effective as of now.
A record 3,780 fresh COVID-19 fatalities were registered in a single day in India taking the death toll to 2,26,188, while 3,82,315 new coronavirus infections were recorded, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
With the fresh cases, the total tally of COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to 2,06,65,148.
Meanwhile, Lav Agarwal, Joint Health Secretary, said Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Gujarat have recorded a dip in daily cases recorded.
However, an increase in the number of daily cases was noted in States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab among others.
The Joint Health Secretary noted the rise in cases in cities like Bengaluru, Ernakulam, Kannur and Kanpur among others as alarming.
16.05 crore doses of vaccines have been shelled out until now, Agarwal said.
Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology said the virus mutation was nothing new.
Dr. Sujeet Singh, National Centre for Disease Control says: “The B1.1.7 lineage of the SARS CoV-2 (U.K. variant) has been declining in proportion across the country in the last one and a half month.”
VK Paul, member of NITI Aayog, while speaking at the event said mutation would go on and we need to have a scientific watch on them. Response to the changing virus remains the same, he added.
“Vaccination protects you,” he said.
He called for physicians to come forward for providing tele-consultation to those confined at homes.
(Manas Dasgupta)
