'Need to identify mutants of Covid and assess their effects': PM tells CMs

States like Kerala, UP, Chhattisgarh overly dependent on antigen tests; RT PCR tests should make for over 70% of overall testing, says PM

At his meeting with chief ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed concern over rising coronavirus cases in the some states and called for "quick and decisive steps".

"India's fight against Covid is being cited as an example in world, our recovery rate is over 96% and fatality rate among the lowest," Modi told CMs. 

"We will have to stop the emerging second peak of coronavirus immediately," said Modi at the virtual interaction with state chief ministers over the pandemic situation and the ongoing vaccination drive. Modi said in states like Maharashtra, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh the number