NEW DELHI, Nov 9 - Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday reviewed the COVID- 19 situation in the backdrop of the ensuing festival season with the State Health Ministers and Principal Secretaries of nine states including Assam.
Official sources said that the states included Andhra Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Haryana and Kerala. Health Minister, Pijush Hazarika represented the State.
Some districts in those states have been reporting a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, high average daily cases on a seven day average, decline in testing, high rate of mortality within the first 24/48/72 hours of hospitalization, high doubling rate, higher death among the vulnerable population groups.
Restating his concern that the coming winter and the long festive season pose a significant risk that could threaten the gains made collectively till now against COVID-19, Dr Vardhan said, �We all need to be more vigilant for the entire festive season that started with Dussehra and would continue onto Diwali, Chhat Puja, Christmas and then Makar Sankranti in the next year. Respiratory virus also spreads rapidly in the winter months.�
Dr Vardhan also mentioned about the increased number of general, oxygenated and ICU beds at each level of COVID care hierarchy.
He informed that of the total active cases, only 0.44 per cent is on ventilator support, 2.47 per cent are in ICU and just 4.13 per cent occupy oxygen supported beds. He also added that India has the highest recovery rate and one of the lowest fatality rate, globally.
Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr Sujeet K Singh, gave an update on the trajectory of COVID and the Public Health Response interventions in the respective states.
