From 20,000 cases reported on January 1 this year, India has almost 10 times more cases being reported daily. More than two lakh cases are reported every day since April 15. This startling data was shared at a meeting convened by the Union home ministry to review the COVID-19 situation and preparedness in all Union territories on Tuesday.
The data shared by the Centre also showed that in the last eleven days, new cases have almost doubled from 1.31 lakh reported on April 9 to 2.73 lakh reported on April 20. The next three weeks are crucial to manage and prepare the response, said the government.
Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla along with Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan met all chief secretaries and DGPs of the UTs. The meeting, which was also attended by V.K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Dr Balram Bhargava, Secretary, DHR and DG ICMR, discussed the COVID response and management strategy in the country.
The Union territories made a detailed presentation on the current trajectory of the new COVID cases, weekly tests, weekly positivity rate, weekly new COVID cases, weekly number of deaths and status of RT-PCR tests and Rapid Antigen Test.
Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Lakshadweep pointed to the rise in cases due to large number of inbound travelers.
It was noted that Lakshadweep has seen a sudden spike after April 14, primarily due to travel of a large number of people to mainland to shop for the recent festive occasions.
Most UTs have imposed movement restrictions, including night curfew, restriction of intra-island movement in the island UTs.
Chandigarh informed that they are conducting door-to-door counselling for increasing vaccination. Ninety percent of the patients are in home isolation who are being monitored by mobile teams.
Delhi discussed shortage of beds and the present efforts to augment this through central government infrastructure and support through the DRDO’s recently operationalised COVID Hospital.
The Delhi government has been taking central assistance to augment hospital beds and ramp up testing.
Bhalla said strict enforcement of COVID appropriate behavior along with stricter enforcement of movement restrictions is required.
The home secretary also advised the UTs to increase RT-PCR testing along with use of RAT for screening in clusters. Urgent review of clinical management was strongly recommended along with ramping up testing and hospital infrastructure.
At the meeting, Dr V.K. Paul pointed out the criticality of the next three weeks for COVID response measures.
“The UT administrators were advised to plan in advance for three weeks,” said the MHA in a statement.
A survey to promptly identify the COVID positive people should be taken up, said Paul.
He also stressed on planning the minutest details of COVID management. For the UT of Ladakh, he recommended regulation of the incoming labourers and supervised containment. Islands can be made large containment zones.
