Centre rushes expert teams to 10 states to help manage rise in Covid-19 cases

The Centre’s high-level multi-disciplinary teams have been deputed to Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir

Centre has rushed expert teams to 10 states that have reported a surge in the number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases.

Representational image. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

Union Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba,is also likely to schedule a review meeting soon on the Covid-19 situation.

The Centre’s high-level multi-disciplinary teams have been deputed to Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, to ascertain the reasons for the surge and coordinate with the state health departments in Covid-19 control and containment measures.

The Centre has also written to states and Union territories to focus on undertaking aggressive measures to break the chain of transmission.

The expert teams that have been sent to these states comprise a public health expert and an epidemiologist.

Meanwhile, during the weekly health briefing on Tuesday, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan pointed out reduced Covid-19 testing as one of the reasons for the surge in cases.

“Infected persons are to be promptly isolated or hospitalised, all their close contacts are to be traced and tested without delay. They have been advised to critically review the emerging situation on a regular basis with concerned district officials to ensure that gains made so far in Covid-19 management are not lost,” said the Union health ministry in a statement.

India’s active caseload was 151,708 on Thursday, comprising 1.37% of the total number of cases.

Maharashtra continues to report the highest number of fresh cases at 8,702. It is followed by Kerala with 3,677 cases, and Punjab with 563 new cases on Thursday.