The Government of India’s policy think tank NITI Aayog has predicted that after Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi, Uttar Pradesh will emerge as the next COVID-19 hotspot in the country.
BJP leader Yogi Adityanath’s state may report over 1.9 lakh cases daily by the end of April, the NITI Aayog has predicted, reported India Today.
NITI Aayog has projected that Uttar Pradesh will add the maximum number of coronavirus infections by April 30 at 1,19,604 cases. Maharashtra will follow next with 99,665 cases and Delhi with 67,134.
India has been seeing a deadly surge in the number of COVID-19 cases being reported daily in the wake of the second wave of the pandemic and it is expected to peak around mid-May, with the daily infection count touching five lakhs. It will probably subside by June-July, as per predictions.
NITI Aayog member (health) VK Paul made these projections while making a presentation at the meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired with the chief ministers of high caseload states.
VK Paul pointed out during the presentation that “heavily populated states are at particular risk and health infrastructure in these states is not adequate enough to cope with the present scenario”.
Like most densely populated states in the country, UP could be faced with an acute oxygen crisis if the predictions come true.
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