India’s ability to rein in a surging coronavirus outbreak hinges on its 10 most populous states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yesterday, urging regional leaders to ramp up testing and contact tracing.
India has more than 2.2mn confirmed coronavirus infections, the third highest tally after the United States and Brazil.
“If we can defeat corona in these 10 states, the country will win,” Modi said in a video conference with state chief ministers.
The 10 states accounted for 80% of its 639,929 active cases and 82% of its 45,257 deaths, Modi said. India has reported at least 50,000 cases every day since July 30, and experts worry that the already burdened health system may not be able to take the strain as infections spread to the hinterland.
Modi said five states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar that have a combined population of more than 300mn, need to ramp up testing. Experts have cited India’s low testing rate as a cause for concern.
India currently has a mortality rate of 1.99%, lower than the global average of 3.65%, but Modi said state governments should aim to push it lower.
“A view has emerged that if we unitedly make efforts to defeat the virus in these 10 states, the entire country will emerge victorious in the battle against Covid-19,” Modi said.
“Experts now say if we identify Covid-19 cases within 72 hours of onset, then infection slows down to a great extent,” Modi said.
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have reported the highest numbers of cases in India.
The prime minister recounted how Home Minister Amit Shah prepared a road map to tackle the coronavirus pandemic in co-operation with Delhi and nearby states.
“The main pillars of this strategy were segregation of containment zones and focus on screening, especially of those in high-risk categories. The results of these steps are there for all to see,” he said, adding that steps like better management in hospitals and increasing ICU beds also proved very helpful.
The chief ministers sought further guidance by the Health Ministry for conducting serosurveillance, while also suggesting the setting up of an integrated medical infrastructure in the country.
They also provided feedback on the ground situation in their respective states.
They praised Modi’s leadership in the successful management of the pandemic and thanked him for his constant guidance and support.
In recent days, the coronavirus has infected a number of politicians, including former president Pranab Mukherjee, who was put on ventilator support after undergoing surgery.
A health worker wearing Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) assists an elderly resident during a Covid-19 screening in the Dharavi slum in Mumbai yesterday.
