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.
Denne historien er fra March 16, 2021-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra March 16, 2021-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
