As the number of new coronavirus cases recede across the country, the Union government has asked states and union territories "to review, change or drop COVID-19 restrictions after considering the trend of new cases and positivity rate in their regions," according to ndtv.com.

In a letter to Chief Secretaries and Chief Administrators of states and union territories, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan mentioned that the coronavirus pandemic in India is showing a sustained declining trend since January 21, added ndtv.com.

The average daily cases last week were 50,476, and 27,409 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours. The daily case positivity rate came down to 3.63 per cent on Wednesday.

While effectively managing the public health challenge of COVID-19, it is equally important that movement of people and economic activities should not be hampered by additional restrictions imposed at state-level points of entry, Bhushan was quoted by ndtv.com.

"Presently, as the case trajectory across the nation is showing a sustained downward trend, it will be useful if states/UTs review and amend/do away with the additional restrictions so imposed after considering the trend of new cases, active cases and positivity within the state and UT," he said.

Bhushan also stressed that states and union territories must also continue monitoring the trajectory of cases and spread of infection daily, reports ndtv.com and "they may also follow the broad five-fold strategy of Test Track-Treat-Vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour," he said.

"I'm sure that under your continued leadership the state and UT will continue to address the challenge of COVID-19 while minimizing its impact on lives and livelihood of the people," Bhushan said in the letter.