3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 7, 2021 07:47 AM IST
In the region, Manipur (5,974) has the highest active cases followed by Meghalaya (4,354), Tripura (3,962), Mizoram (3,730), Sikkim (1,869) and Nagaland (1192).
Forty-five of the 73 districts that reported over 10 per cent Covid-19 positivity rate in the last one week are from the Northeast region of the country, the Health Ministry Tuesday said.
According to the health ministry, 73 districts in India reported a positivity rate of over 10 per cent for the June 29-July 5 week. Sixty-one per cent of these high-positivity districts are from the Northeast states of Arunachal (Pradesh (18), Manipur (9), Meghalaya (6), Tripura (4), Sikkim (4), Nagaland (3), and Mizoram (1).
In the region, Manipur (5,974) has the highest active cases followed by Meghalaya (4,354), Tripura (3,962), Mizoram (3,730), Sikkim (1,869) and Nagaland (1192).
Dr Balram Bhragava, a member of the country’s Covid-19 task force and Director General of ICMR, flagged that the Northeast will have to step up testing, keep a “close watch” on the test positivity rate at the district-level and set up micro-containment zones.
“One thing that I want to emphasise, particularly for the Northeastern states, is that we are encouraging them to do more testing and increase their reporting of testing. The problem there is the heavy rains… the most important thing is that we have to keep a close watch on the average test positivity rate. It is the most important thing that helped in the second wave — if (positivity rate) is going beyond 10 per cent, they have to make micro containment zones,” Bhargava said.
He said that while 595 districts have been reporting less than 5 per cent positivity, an average of 18 lakh daily tests has to be maintained by states as some of them are still in the midst of the second wave.
“Today, we have more than 73 districts with more than 10 per cent positivity, 65 districts have a positivity rate between 5-10 per cent, 595 districts which are below 5 per cent. The second wave has come down in most states. However, some states are still in the midst of the second wave…we have to continue to maintain a high level of testing. We are doing an average of 18 lakh tests per day; we need to maintain the momentum,” Bhargava said.
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Bhargava reiterated that districts reporting more than 10 per cent positivity need to re-impose strict containment measures. “If the test positivity is less than 5 per cent, it is a good sign, and the administration can ease the restrictions. But if the test positivity rate goes beyond 10 per cent, then we need to reinstate restrictive measures. Because the virus is still lurking around and we are fighting the virus,” he said.
As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues.
He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations.
Areas of Expertise
Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety.
Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps.
Global Collaborations
Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects:
The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry.
Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time.
Awards & Recognition
His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors:
Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism
SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia)
Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club)
Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots).
Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision.
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LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99
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