Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 3 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo has said that even though the number of daily COVID-19 cases has increased for the past few days in the state, the positivity rate is not as high as compared to September last year.

Speaking to ANI, Deo informed that 4,617 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Thursday, the highest ever recorded in the state since the start of the pandemic.

"In September, the maximum daily cases recorded was 3,900 from about 27,000 tests. The present number of daily cases on Thursday is from 40,000 tests. So the positivity per cent is less as compared to that in September. On Thursday, it was 11.3 per cent and in the September peak, it was over 19 per cent. So we will watch if the positivity increases then it will be worrisome for Chhattisgarh," he said.

There are currently 28,987 active coronavirus cases in Chhattisgarh, as per data from the union health ministry. So far, 3,20,613 recoveries and 4,204related deaths have been reported in the state.

Amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases across the state, the Chhattisgarh government has also written to the Centre to include journalists in the vaccination drive, the Chhattisgarh health minister further informed.

"The Chhattisgarh government has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to include journalists in the COVID-19 vaccination drive," he said.

"Eight cases of N440K COVID-19 strain have been found in the state till now. Yesterday, the state reported 4,617 new cases, the highest till now. Around 3,000 Intensive Care Units and oxygen beds are available in private and government hospitals," he said.(ANI)

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