PM Modi to chair meeting with all CMs today amid surge in COVID-19 cases
Synopsis
The announcement comes in the backdrop of states such as Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu continuing to report a surge in Covid-19 daily cases, accounting for 78.41% of the new cases, the Union Health Ministry said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with chief ministers today to assess the Covid-19 situation in the country as well as the vaccination drive amid a spike in active cases that has increased the government’s worry.
The announcement comes in the backdrop of states such as Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu continuing to report a surge in Covid-19 daily cases, accounting for 78.41% of the new cases, the Union Health Ministry said.
PM Modi’s last interaction with chief ministers was in January before the vaccination roll-out. He had announced that the Centre will bear the expenses of vaccinating nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the first round and suggested that public representatives, a reference to politicians, should not be part of this initial exercise.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), eight states, including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, are witnessing a surge in new Covid-19 cases.
Interacting with the media on Monday, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said negligence towards Covid-appropriate behaviour has led to the surge in confirmed cases of infection in different parts of the country.
He stressed that coronavirus appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing should be followed despite the availability of vaccine against the disease.
India recorded 26,291 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, its highest single-day spike in 85 days, taking the country’s infection tally to 1,13,85,339, while the death toll due to the disease increased to 1,58,725 with 118 more fatalities being recorded in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed.