The government said on Wednesday a third phase of the Covid is inevitable, but it is not clear on what time scale this phase would occur. therefore, we should be prepared for the same, said the Union Health Ministry.

In a press briefing by the Ministry of Health Affairs on Wednesday, officials said the long COVID wave of such ''ferocity'' that the country was experiencing currently ''was not predicted''.

Twelve states, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh, have more than 1 lakh active COVID cases, the government said.

Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Bihar are among the states that show an increasing trend in daily cases, it said. The government also said that 24 states and UTs show more than 15 per cent COVID positivity rate.

From May 1, 6.71 lakh people in the age group of 18-44 years in nine states have been administered the vaccines, it added. ''Phase three is inevitable given the higher levels of circulating virus, but it is not clear on what time-scale this phase three will occur. We should be prepared for new waves,'' said K Vijay Raghavan, the principal scientific advisor to the Centre.

Member, NITI Ayog, Dr VK Paul requested ''physicians' fraternity'' to come forward and provide teleconsultations to people and families at home who are infected with coronavirus. ''The response to the changing virus remains the same. We need to follow the COVID- appropriate behaviour such as mask, distancing, hygiene, no unnecessary meetings and staying at home,'' Dr Paul said.

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