Six big states with over 100,000 cases struggle to contain virus

Maharashtra not only accounts for the highest infections, but also the most deaths

Six major states in India have recorded more than 100,000 coronavirus cases each since the outbreak of the pandemic, with the country logging over 1.9 million cases and more than 40,000 deaths so far.

Maharashtra has the highest number of cases, followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The last is a recent addition to the states climbing up the grim mark of over a 100,000 cases.

On the other hand, with the deadly virus spreading rapidly all over the country, there are eight states and Union Territories — Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Ladakh, Mizoram, Arunanchal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim, and Andaman and Nicobar where there are less than 1,000 active cases.

In a press briefing, Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said that 82 per cent of the total cases are limited to 10 states and Union Territories and that 50 districts account for 66 per cent of the total caseload.

Maharashtra, with a population of over 110 million, not only accounts for the highest number of cases but has also witnessed most deaths. The state has over 450,000 cases and 16,000 deaths, as on Tuesday. It has a recovery rate of over 62 per cent.

The situation in Tamil Nadu is also grim as it has logged 2,73,460 cases and 4,461 deaths till now. The silver lining, however, is that the number of recovered cases in the southern state are four times the active cases. It has a recovery rate of over 76 per cent.

Andhra Pradesh is inching towards the 200,0000-mark and has logged over 1,600 deaths. It is recording 10,000 cases daily and is among the states with fastest growing number of cases. Neighbouring Karnataka has recorded over 140,000 cases and 2,700 deaths. Delhi, on the other hand, is now witnessing a remarkable turnaround. It is now recording less than almost 1,000 daily cases and has the highest recovery rate of nearly 90 per cent.