New Delhi (NVI): The Central Government has directed the states and union territories that are seeing a large number of Covid-19 cases not to lose sight of the main objective in the rush of numbers — keeping the death rate, or the case fatality rate low.
The Union Government further issued strict directions for 8 states which have reported the highest number of Covid-19 deaths and further asked them to optimise utilisation of resources to improve clinical management.
13 districts from 8 states have been responsible for about 14 per cent of the total Covid-19 deaths and 9 per cent active cases, even as the national Case Fatality Rate (CFR) remains at 2.04 per cent, according to a statement released by Health Ministry.
These are Kamrup Metro in Assam, Patna in Bihar, Ranchi in Jharkhand, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Ganjam in Odisha, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, 24 Paraganas North, Hooghly, Howrah, Kolkata and Maldah in West Bengal and Delhi.
While the above-mentioned districts reported low tests per million and high confirmation percentage, a surge has been observed in the daily new cases in four districts viz. Kamrup Metro in Assam, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha in Kerala, it added.
“Several issues critical to reducing case fatality rate were discussed during the meeting. The States were advised to address the issues of low lab utilisation…They were advised to ensure timely referral and hospitalization in view of reports from some districts of patients dying within 48 hrs of admission. States were directed to ensure unavailability of ambulances with zero tolerance for refusal,” said the statement.
It further added, “States were asked to ensure a timely assessment and make advance preparedness for infrastructure viz. ICU beds, oxygen supply etc., based on the prevailing caseload and the estimated growth rate.”
A total of 20,88,612 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far. This figure includes 6,19,088 active cases and 14,27,006 cured cases and a total of 42,518 deaths.
-CHK
