“We need to increase our focus on effective testing, tracing, treatment, surveillance and clear messaging,” said PM Narendra Modi, during his meet with chief ministers and health ministers of seven states on Wednesday, 23 September.
PM Modi also reportedly suggested that states should “assess effectiveness of 1 or 2-day lockdowns and consider if they hamper economic activities.”
The prime minister held the high-level virtual review meeting with chief ministers of states that have been hit the worst by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to ANI, PM Modi further said:
“Effective messaging is also necessary because most COVID-19 infections are without symptoms. In such a situation, rumours may rise. It might raise doubts in the minds of the people that testing is bad. Some people also make mistake of underestimating the severity of infection.”
In addition, PM Modi said that India has “ensured the supply of life saving-medicines all over the world even in difficult times” and pointed out that the Centre and states have to work together to ensure timely transportation and arrival of medicines from one state to another.
Background
The seven states/UT in the meeting were Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Punjab.
A government statement, released prior to the meeting, and reported by Hindustan Times, had said: “PM will chair a high-level virtual meeting with the CMs and health ministers of seven COVID-19 high-burden states and union territories (UTs) on Wednesday to review the status and preparedness of the response and management of the viral outbreak.”
These seven states account for 63 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in the country.
According to the Union Health Ministry, on Saturday, 52 percent of the 92,605 new cases were recorded in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
Punjab and Delhi along with the five other states have reported a daily surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.
India's COVID-19 case tally on Wednesday crossed the 56 lakh-mark with a spike of 83,347 new cases and 1,085 deaths in last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, India has the world's highest recovered cases, contributing 19.5 percent to global recoveries, the Health Ministry said.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)
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