New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for tracing and testing those who come in contact with COVID-19 patients in 72 hours and asserted if the virus is defeated in 10 states, which account for 80 per cent of the active cases, then the country will also emerge victorious against the pandemic.
At a video conference with chief ministers and representatives of these 10 states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, Modi said the recovery rate has gone up which, he added, meant that government efforts have proved to be effective.
He emphasised on the need to trace and test all those who come in contact with an infected person within 72 hours. “We need to follow a new mantra – all those who have come in contact with an infected person should be traced and tested within 72 hours,” he was quoted as saying in an official statement.
This should be followed with the same earnestness as washing hands, maintaining social distance and wearing masks, he said.
The percentage of active cases is reducing, while the recovery rate is increasing, the prime minister said. He noted that these steps have boosted the confidence of people, and said the target of bringing down the fatality rate below one per cent can be achieved soon.
Modi shared as to how Home Minister Amit Shah worked to prepare a roadmap for successfully tackling the pandemic together with Delhi and nearby states. The Centre and states have been able to work as a team in the fight against COVID-19, he said.
“Our experience so far is that containment, contact tracing and surveillance are the most effective weapons against the pandemic, with experts of the view that if cases are identified within 72 hours of onset, then infection slows down to great extent,” the prime minister said.
He pointed out that the number of active cases in the country stands at over six lakh, and most of them have been reported from the 10 states. Today, 80 per cent active cases are in these 10 states.
Hence the role of all these states is very big in the fight against coronavirus, he said. Modi said it was a matter of satisfaction that the average fatality rate in India has been going down and noted that it has been very low compared to the world average.
In separate statements, various chief ministers shared their views expressed in the meeting, with Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal raising the issue of over Rs 53,000 crore due to her state from the Centre. (PTI)
