Reduce fatality rate to 1%: Centre to 10 states

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 27

The Centre today held a review meeting with 10 states, including Punjab, that have accounted for nearly 89 per cent of all deaths seen in the country over the past two weeks.

Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba took the virtual review with the Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, asking each of these states to focus on reducing the case fatality rate.

“It was observed that out of the total deaths in the country in the last two weeks, 89 per cent of the deaths are in these 10 states and UT. Hence, these states need to have continued and rigorous vigil, so as to contain the spread of infection and reduce fatalities,” the Health Ministry said. The country today saw the highest single-day surge of 75,760 cases, taking the Covid tally to 33,10,234. The toll has climbed to 60,472, with 1,023 fatalities in 24 hours.

The high-mortality burden states were asked to work and reduce the case mortality rate to less than 1 per cent. The states were advised to ensure that at least in 80 per cent of the new cases, all close contacts were traced and tested in 72 hours. They were also asked to ensure minimum of 140 tests per million per day in all districts, lowering the positivity rate to less than 5 per cent, ensuring regular monitoring of patients under home isolation and putting in public domain the availability of beds and ambulances in Covid facilities.

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2Eri04O