Centre rushes high-level teams to tackle crisis
After Maharashtra and Kerala, at least eight more States — Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir — have started reporting a surge in fresh coronavirus infections.
A worried Centre has rushed high-level multi-disciplinary teams to these States for supporting them in public health measures for targeted Covid-19 response and management, and effectively tackling the pandemic. It has warned the States that slacking off on rules and measures to check infection will escalate the crisis, given the emergence of new virus strains.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has also written to seven States and Union Territories on the recent spurt in virus cases and has advised specific steps.
AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria has already sounded the alarm, warning that India is also vulnerable to the second wave of coronavirus and people should continue to follow social distancing, wearing mask and other precautions. His statement comes against the backdrop of a recent medical survey that has shown that over 70 per cent of the Indian population is still susceptible to Covid-19.
Dr RK Dhamija, Head of Neurology Department and public health expert from Dr Lady Hardinge Hospital in New Delhi, did not rule out further surge in the cases and advised the Government to regularly conduct genome testing of the positive Covid cases. He also suggested that focus should be on hotspots, which contribute to between 70-80 per cent of cases, and those pockets in the States which have high number of people with comorbidities such as diabetes and stroke should be given preference in vaccination.
An official from the Union Health Ministry, three-member multi-disciplinary teams have been sent to Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.
Each team is headed by Joint Secretary-level officers in the Health Ministry.
These teams are to work closely with the State administrations and inquire into reasons for the rise in cases. They will also coordinate with health authorities of the States and Union Territories for measures to break the chain of transmission, said the official.
The States have been asked to carry out a regular critical review of the emerging situation with officials of the districts concerned.
In addition, the Centre has written to Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, where there has been a rise in daily cases, alongside a drop in the proportion of RT-PCR tests.
The Centre has asked these States to increase RT-PCR testing and carry out both kinds of tests in a focused manner in districts worst affected.
Those showing symptoms but turning up negative in rapid antigen tests must take the RT-PCR test, the Government has said. The Centre has also called for strict contact-tracing of all positive cases.
Maharashtra and Kerala alone account for 75 per cent of the country’s current active cases after a sudden rise in new infections in recent days.
Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded the highest number of 6,218 new cases, followed by Kerala (4,034), Tamil Nadu (449), Punjab (414) and Karnataka (383). Maharashtra reported 51 deaths in the last 24 hours, followed by Kerala with 14 and Punjab 10, Tamil Nadu, six and Karnataka, four, said the Health Ministry.
Thursday, 25 February 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
