New Delhi: India is better positioned in the fight against COVID-19 compared to other countries. However, there is no space for complacency, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said Tuesday. The death toll due to coronavirus rose to 7,466 and the cases mounted to 2,66,598 in India. Harsh Vardhan chaired the 16th meeting of the high-level group of ministers (GOM) on COVID-19. The meeting reviewed the containment strategies pertaining to the pandemic via video-conferencing here, the Health Ministry said.
The GOM was briefed about the latest status, response and management of COVID-19 in India. A brief snapshot was presented to the GOM highlighting the comparative position of India vis-a-vis other countries in similar stage of easing lockdown. It provided an idea of the benefits that have accrued from the lockdown and how this can be leveraged in management of disease, the ministry said.
As India entered the ‘Unlock 1.0’ phasewhen restrictions have been eased and curbs lifted, Vardhan stressed that people need to be more disciplined. They need to adopt appropriate behaviour to ensure norms of physical distancing are followed. People should also use face covers, and maintain hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
“India is better positioned in fight against COVID-19 compared to other nations, but there is no space for complacency,” Vardhan strongly reiterated during the meeting. He also reminded everybody to download ‘Aarogya Setu’ app which will help in self risk assessment and in protection against COVID-19. More than 12.55 crore people in the country have downloaded the app, as on date, the ministry said in its statement.
In the wake of all government offices opening now, Vardhan appealed to the heads of departments. “Let us also not forget the ‘social vaccine’ against COVID-19 through strict adherence of norms of physical distancing, hand hygiene and mask/face covers,” he said.
The GoM was informed that as on June 9, COVID-19 related health infrastructure in India has been strengthened with the availability of 958 dedicated hospitals with 1,67,883 isolation beds, 21,614 ICU and 73,469 oxygen supported beds. Also, 2,313 dedicated COVID-19 health centres with 1,33,037 isolation beds, 10,748 ICU beds and 46,635 oxygen supported beds have also been operationalised.
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityananda Rai, Minister of State for Shipping and Chemical and Fertilizers Mansukh Lal Mandaviya and Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey along with other senior officials took part in the meeting.
So far, a total of 1,29,214 people have recovered with 4,785 patients having been cured in the last 24 hours. This takes the total recovery rate to 48.47 per cent.
PTI