Amid rising Covid-19 cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting on Sunday to take stock of the situation and directed the States and districts reporting higher number of cases to continue with the mission-mode approach so that the collective gains of the pandemic management over the last 15 months are not squandered away.
5-fold strategy
Modi reiterated that the five-fold strategy of testing, tracing, treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour and vaccination if implemented with utmost seriousness and commitment would be effective in curbing the spread of the pandemic, which claimed 513 lives in the 24 hours till 7 am on Sunday.
Special campaign
Simultaneously, the government will organise a special campaign from April 6 to 14 for Covid-appropriate behaviour with emphasis on 100 per cent mask usage, and personal hygiene and sanitation at public places, workplace and health facilities. Further, a Central team of public health specialists and clinicians will be sent to Maharashtra, which has been reporting the highest daily new-Covid cases and deaths. Likewise, Punjab and Chhattisgarh will be get Central assistance to deal with the disproportionate rise in fatalities. There has been an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases with 10 States accounting for more than 91 per cent of infections and deaths. According to the government, Maharashtra accounted for 57 per cent of all cases in the last 14 days and 47 per cent of deaths in the country.
The country’s Covid-19 curve on Friday beat the US’ and was set to surpass Brazil’s. India, on Friday, added the most number of Covid-19 cases than any other country. In the last 24 hours, India reported 93,249 Covid-19 cases.
The resurgence of the pandemic comes as the vaccination drive is in full swing. Jabs administered across India crossed the 7.5-crore mark on Sunday with 7,59,79,651 vaccines given till 7 am.
The Sunday’s meeting chaired by the Prime Minister was attended by the Principal, Cabinet and Home, Health, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, and AYUSH Secretaries; Chairperson, Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration; ICMR Director-General; Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government; and Member, NITI Aayog.
Restrictions in Maharashtra
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government on Sunday decided to implement harsh restrictions, including night curfew, to deal with the second wave. The restrictions will be implemented from April 5 to April 30, a press statement issued by the Chief Minister’s office said. Private offices, restaurants, cinemas, crowded places will remain closed.