These municipal areas are contributing to almost 80% of India's total COVID-19 cases.
To review the preparedness of 30 municipal areas who are contributing to almost 80% of India's total COVID-19 cases, Health secretary Preeti Sudan and Rajesh Bhushan, OSD, and other senior officials of the Union Health Ministry held a high-level meeting with the Health Secretaries, Municipal Commissioners, DMs and other officials of the municipal areas.
These 30 municipal areas are from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha.
As per a press release from the health ministry, the measures taken by the officials and the staff of the municipal corporations for the management of COVID-19 cases were reviewed. It was informed that fresh guidelines on the management of COVID-19 in urban settlements are being shared. Highlights of this strategy were discussed.
A presentation was also made on the current status of COVID-19 infections in the districts while highlighting the high-risk factors, indices such as confirmation rate, fatality rate, doubling rate, tests per million etc. They were briefed about the factors to be considered while mapping the containment and buffer zones; the activities mandated in containment zone like perimeter control, active search for cases through the house to house surveillance, contact tracing, testing protocol, clinical management of the active cases; surveillance activities in the buffer zone like monitoring of SARI/ILI cases, ensuring social distancing, promoting hand hygiene etc., the release said.
It was also advised that the areas should be appropriately defined by the district administration/local urban body with technical inputs from the local level.
Along with the containment zones, the buffer zone around the containment zone also must be demarcated to break the chain of transmission. Maintaining high vigilance and monitoring in areas of old cities, urban slums and other high-density pockets along with the camps for migrant workers are important steps in COVID-19 management in the urban areas.
Regarding the management of indicators like high doubling rate, high case fatality rate and high confirmation percentages seen in the containment zones, the ministry officials were informed about the possible root causes and recommendations were offered on possible actions that could be taken. It was also highlighted that especially in the densely populated urban areas, further challenges need to be considered like poor socio-economic conditions, limited health infrastructure, lack of social distancing, issues faced by women among others factors.
Health Secretary also emphasized that along with the containment and management of COVID-19 cases, the issue of continuing all essential non-COVID health services in the urban localities like RMNCHA+N care, cancer treatment, TB surveillance, immunization efforts, vector control measures in view of the ensuing monsoon, etc., need to be ensured. The Municipal Areas were asked to focus on effective risk communication in order to build trust and confidence. They were requested to engage with community leaders and local opinion leaders who could accompany the local surveillance teams to encourage cooperation from the local communities.
It was advised that all health service providers need to be provided with adequate protective gear and communication must focus against the stigmatization of these frontline health workers. Maintenance of sanitation standards of the relief and isolation camps and waste management from the homes of COVID-19 cases was also stressed upon.
So far, a total of 30,150 people have been cured. In the last 24 hours, 2233 patients were found cured. This takes the total recovery rate to 35.09 %. The total number of confirmed cases is now 85,940.
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