Take proactive steps to prevent third wave: PM

New Delhi, July 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that rising COVID-19 cases in some states remain a matter of concern as he asked them to take proactive measures to rule out a third wave by moving forward with the strategy of test, track, treat and ‘tika (vaccine)’.
In a video interaction with chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra and Kerala, where many districts have been reporting a high number of cases, Modi said the country stands at a point in its battle with the pandemic where apprehensions about a third wave are being continuously expressed.
These states have accounted for 80 per cent of new cases last week and 84 per cent of deaths, he noted in his closing remarks, specifically mentioning the rise in infections in Kerala and Maharashtra as a matter of grave concern for the country. A similar trend was witnessed in January and February before the second wave started, he said.
“It’s very important that states with a rising number of cases take proactive measures to rule out any possibility of a third wave,” Modi said in his remarks. “We have to move forward with our strategy of test, track, treat and tika,” he said, adding that special attention needs to be paid to micro-containment zones.
Emphasising on the need to prevent crowds from gathering at public places, Modi said there is a need to be aware, alert and strict in this regard. To highlight the possible dangers of another wave of the pandemic, he noted that positive cases have been on the rise in Europe and the US with a fast pace, and a similar worrying trend is being witnessed in countries to like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar.
“This is a warning and big alert to the world and to us. We have to keep reminding people that the coronavirus has not gone,” Modi said, reiterating his concern about scenes of crowds at many places across the country. (PTI)