Interacting with Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of nine States and one UT, the cabinet secretary urged them to proactively limit COVID transmission and keep the mortality below 1%.
The States/UT attending the VC were Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, alongwith the Union Health Secretary, DG ICMR and Member (Health), NITI Aayog, an official release stated.
Union Health Secretary made a detailed presentation on the current status of COVID-19 in these States/UT, with a focus on districts reporting high case fatality and the need to refine as well as strengthen approach and strategies to contain the spread of COVID-19.
It was observed that out of the total deaths in the country in the last two weeks, 89% of deaths are in these 10 States/UT and hence, these States/UT need to have continued and rigorous vigil so as to contain the spread of infection as well as take steps to reduce fatalities.
The States/UT were advised to proactively take steps towards reducing case fatality to less than 1% across all districts focusing on :
- Effective containment, contact tracing & surveillance
- Ensuring that at least in 80 % of new positive cases, all close contacts should be traced and tested with 72 hours
- Ensuring a minimum of140 tests per million per day in all districts while targeting a positivity/confirmation rate of <5%
- Leveraging Antigen tests in containment zones / healthcare settings & retesting of all symptomatic negatives with RT-PCR
- Regular monitoring of home isolation patients (tele-calling and home visits) and ensuring timely admission to healthcare facility if SPO2 level falls below the designated level
- Putting in public domain the availability of beds and ambulances across COVID facilities while significantly reducing ambulance response time
- Saving lives by effective clinical management of all cases
- Monitoringweek-wise fatality rates for each health facility with particular focus on vulnerable patients (Comorbid, patients > 60 years' age)
- Upgrading COVID dedicated facilities based on case load
- Monitoring availability and usage ofnecessary drugs, masks and PPE kits in all facilities
- Focus on Behavioral Change Communication promoting COVID appropriate behavior consisting of social distancing, wearing of masks, hand hygiene, cough etiquettes etc.