Can win Covid battle nationally if it is won in 10 states: PM Modi

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 11

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the battle against COVID-19 can be won nationally if it is won in 10 highest burden states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, UP, Bihar and West Bengal.

Speaking to the Chief Ministers of these states virtually, the PM advised them to work towards bringing the death rate from COVID below 1 per cent even as the national case fatality dropped below 2 per cent for the first time today.

These states account for 80 per cent of all active COVID cases in India as of today and 81 per cent of all deaths. 

India has 6,39,929 active cases as of Tuesday and 45,257 deaths. 

Recoveries have improved to 15,83,489 with the recovery rate surging to 69.80 per cent.

The PM today asked CMs of the above states to focus on containment, contact tracing and surveillance as these were the most effective weapons in the fight against COVID.

The PM also asked the CMs of the above states to ensure testing of contacts of all positive cases within 72 hours to reduce the burden of disease and fatality and to lower the mortality rate below 1 per cent.

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, “The PM told the states that effective results active containment and surveillance were possible as shown by the progress made by Delhi and its satellite cities in the NCR including Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonepat.