NEWS DESK
The Centre on Saturday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in 10 states which are witnessing rise in daily COVID cases and positivity. The states have been advised to undertake intensive containment measures and active surveillance in clusters reporting higher cases.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reviewed the COVID situation in ten states of Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh and Manipur. States have been advised that districts reporting positivity rate over 10 per cent need to impose strict restrictions to prevent crowds and intermingling of people. It was underlined that any laxity at this stage will result in deterioration of the situation. It has been suggested that people in home isolation should be effectively monitored to ensure that those who require hospitalization are seamlessly transferred for timely clinical treatment. The states have also been advised to direct private hospitals to set up oxygen based PSA plants in the hospitals.
Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research Dr. Balram Bhargava has warned against any complacency saying that 46 districts are still reporting more than 10 per cent positivity while another 53 districts are showing a positivity between five to ten per cent. He urged the states to ramp up testing along with vaccination for vulnerable groups aged above 45 years. The states were asked to use the INSACOG laboratory network for genome surveillance to screen international travellers.
