NEW DELHI: Concerned at the persisting COVID-19 situation in many parts of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday will hold a meeting with the Chief Ministers and health ministers of seven states reporting the highest burden of coronavirus cases.
These states include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Punjab.
At present, over 63% of the active cases of the country are concentrated in these seven states and they also account for 65.5% of the total confirmed cases and 77% of the total deaths.
“Along with the other five states, Punjab and Delhi have reported an increase in the number of cases being reported recently,” said a statement by the health ministry.
Also, Maharashtra, Punjab and Delhi are reporting high mortality with case fatality rate of over 2% which is higher than the national average CFR of 1.6%.
The ministry also underlined that positivity rates in these states, excluding Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, are above the national average of 8.52%.
The government maintained that it has been supporting the states in ramping up the healthcare and medical infrastructure and the clinical management capacities of the doctors manning the ICUs have been substantially upgraded through an initiative led by AIIMS, Delhi.
“High level review with the states has ensured adequate availability of medical oxygen in the hospitals and COVID healthcare facilities,” said the ministry. “The Centre is also regularly deputing multi-disciplinary teams to states to support and handhold them in matters of containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of the positive cases.”