Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh show positive trends in controlling the virus, data shows.
India is not likely to show any sign of a downward coronavirus curve in the days to come. More than 9 lakh people have tested positive for the disease, but for the Centre, the bigger worry is the number of people in precautionary quarantine, especially in the vast and thickly populated state of Uttar Pradesh.
Data from the home ministry shows 31.58 lakh people are in quarantine in different states and Union Territories.
States that are showing positive trends in terms of controlling virus are Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Concern though, lies thick over the situation in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka.
In terms of positives, Maharashtra tops the list with 2.60 lakh cases, followed by Tamil Nadu with 1.42 lakh.
But when it comes to quarantine, Uttar Pradesh is way ahead of Maharashtra. More than 11 lakh people are in quarantine in Uttar Pradesh and 7.27 lakh in Maharashtra. In Tamil Nadu, the corresponding figure is 4.10 lakh and in Gujarat, 3.52 lakh.
The figures of precautionary quarantine indicate contacts of people who have tested positive. Most of them are asymptomatic, which increases the scope of the spread of virus before they get their results.
This is where widespread testing is expected to help. In Uttar Pradesh is conducting almost 3,000 tests per million population now and aim to reach the national average of over 4,000 tests per million by mid- July. The daily testing capacity is being increased further to reach 30,000 tests in July; 42 testing labs operational now, officials said.
At the standing committee meeting, to be held tomorrow, the home ministry is also going to focus on the steps initiated by Centre to ensure a smooth unlock.
"The numbers in terms of positive cases and quarantine may be rising, but the fact is that 86 per cent of the case load is borne by ten states," an officer said.
As of today, as many as 20 states have better recovery rates than the country's average, he added. The recovery rate in the country is 63 per cent, but Delhi stands at 80 per cent and Gujarat at 70 per cent.
The home ministry is also going to talk of its efforts to control the spread of pandemic in the National Capital Region -- which comprises Delhi and parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
"In Delhi, things are getting better now but towns adjoining the capital city are still showing a surge in cases," said an officer in the ministry.
In his last review, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed appreciation regarding the home ministry's efforts in controlling the spread in the NCR. He has also suggested that the other states adopt same model.
On July 3, the standing committee on science and technology had met. It was said at the meeting that it might take a year before a vaccine is developed.