PM Modi holds meeting with CMs of some states worst-hit by COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a meeting with chief ministers of various states over the COVID-19 situation, through video conferencing.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal are among those are present at the meeting, being held via video conferencing. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, NITI Aayog's Dr VK Paul, Cabinet secretary, and Health Secretary are also attending the crucial meet. According to Delhi Chief Minister`s Office (CMO), Kejriwal informed the Prime Minister that Delhi saw a peak of 8,600 COVID-19 cases on November 10 in the third peak.

He had earlier chaired several meetings with chief ministers in the past six months over the pandemic.

The Central government has decided to depute high-level Central teams to Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to support these States in COVID-19 response and management. These states have been either reporting a rise in the number of active cases i.e. those who are hospitalised or are in home isolation under medical supervision, or demonstrating a rise in the daily new cases, the Union Health Ministry said.

The Health Ministry said that the three-member teams will visit the districts reporting a high number of COVID cases and support the state’s efforts towards strengthening containment, surveillance, testing, infection prevention and control measures and efficient clinical management of the positive cases.

On November 20, the Prime Minister held a meeting to review India`s vaccination strategy and discussed important issues related to progress of vaccine development, regulatory approvals and procurement with top officials.

India reported 37,975 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours and 480 deaths due to the disease, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.The total cases in the country now stands at 91,77,841 including 86,04,955 recoveries and 4,38,667 active cases. With 480 new deaths, the cumulative toll reached 1,34,218.The country is reporting around 30,000 to 47,000- daily new cases for the past some days. Today is the seventeenth day when India reported less than 50,000 cases in a day.

(With agency inputs)