FEBRUARY 2021 was a roller-coaster month in India's more than a year-long fight against covid-19. Early that month, the British and American media outlets highlighted the continuous downward trend in covid-19 cases in India. They quoted researchers calling for investigation into how the country beat the pandemic while the West experienced gruelling second and third waves. But towards the second half of the month, India saw a reversal in the downward trend of infections reported since the end of September 2020.
As per the World Health Organization’s weekly update on covid-19 issued on March 3, India witnessed an increase of cases by 21 per cent in one week. This was the second-highest quantum of increase that week across the world after Italy.
Some of India's states that show a clear resurgence in February-March include Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. Those that record an intermittent upward and downward trend include Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. What is notable is that in all these states, there are three to four districts which are new entrants in the list—these are the ones that did not previously feature in the states' list of top 15 districts for high case burden.
This story is from the March 16, 2021 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 16, 2021 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
In leading role again
MOVIES AND WEB SERIES ARE ONCE AGAIN BEING SET IN RUSTIC BACKGROUNDS, INDICATING A RECONNECT BETWEEN CINEMA AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
One Nation One Subscription comes at a huge cost
As top US universities scrap big deals with top scientific publishers, India’s ONOS scheme seems flawed and outdated
Return of Rambhog
Bid to revive and sell the aromatic indigenous paddy variety has led to substantial profits for farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Terai region
Scarred by mining
Natural springs of Kashmir drying up due to illegal riverbed mining
Human-to-human spread a mutation away
CANADA IN mid-November confirmed its first human case of avian influenza, with a teenager in the British Columbia being hospitalised after contracting the H5N1 virus that causes the disease. The patient developed a severe form of the disease, also called bird flu, and had respiratory issues. There was no known cause of transmission.
True rehabilitation
Residents of Madhya Pradesh's Kakdi village take relocation as an opportunity to undertake afforestation, develop sustainable practices
INESCAPABLE THREAT
Chemical pollution is the most underrated and underreported risk of the 21st century that threatens all species and regions
THAT NIGHT, 40 YEARS AGO
Bhopal gas disaster is a tragedy that people continue to face
A JOKE, INDEED
A CONFERENCE OF IRRESPONSIBLE PARTIES THAT CREATED AN OPTICAL ILLUSION TO THE REALITY OF A NEW CLIMATE
THINGS FALL APART
THE WORLD HAS MADE PROGRESS IN MITIGATING EMISSIONS AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE IMPACTS. BUT THE PROGRESS REMAINS GROSSLY INADEQUATE
