States should consider restrictions in view of the coming festive season, the Centre said today pointing to the upsurge in cases in parts of the country. Pointing to the festivities starting with Muharram on August 19 to Durga Puja on October 15, the Union health ministry said the states should "actively consider local restrictions" and "curb mass gatherings".

"Indian Council of Medical Research and National Centre for Disease control have expressed concern regarding the mass gathering events during festivals turning into super spreader events," added the letter from the health ministry to Chief Ministers and administrators of all states.

"I would like to reiterate that any laxity in ensuring strict adherance to the five-fold strategy of 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and Ensuring Covid-Appropriate Behaviour', may result in losing the impetus that our country has gained so far in managing the pandemic," read the letter signed by Rajesh Bhushan.

The Centre has repeatedly warned that the second wave is still not over and the Delta variant of the virus is still a dominant problem.

Till yesterday, 8 states reported an "R-factor"--- reproductive rate of a virus which indicates how infectious it is ---- of more than 1.

An R factor above 1 indicates that the infection rate is increasing and needs to be controlled.

The R-factor -- used worldwide to gauge the trajectory of the coronavirus -- is above 1 at Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram, Karnataka, Puducherry and Kerala.

In Bengal, Nagaland, Haryana, Goa, Delhi and Jharkhand the R-factor stands at 1.

The growing trend is causing much concern in view of a possible third wave of the virus. Last year, a surge in the pandemic took place during the festive season, when the daily number of fresh cases had just stopped short of 3 lakh.

During the second wave -- driven by the Delta variant -- in summer, the daily figure of fresh cases had gone above 4 lakh, bringing the country's healthcare system to its knees.