COVID is under control in State: CM
| Date :25-Nov-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
RAIPUR,
Providing a detailed feedback about the prevention and control of Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the infection is under control in State. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level virtual meeting with Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories on Tuesday to review the status and preparedness of COVID response and management, with special emphasis on eight high focus States. These States were Haryana, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and West Bengal.
The modalities of Covid vaccine delivery, distribution and administration were also discussed during the meeting. The PM assured the Chief Ministers during the meeting that the focus in the fight against COVID has been on saving each and every life, the priority will be to ensure that vaccines reach everyone. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also attended the high-level meeting virtually through video conferencing from his official residence. CM while assuring the Prime Minister that the COVID-19 pandemic is under control in Chhattisgarh, said everyday on an average 23,000 testing are taking place. There was no infection in the rural areas during the initial stages, but later on some people in rural areas were also affected. Mitanins (ASHA workers) in Chhattisgarh had made a significant contribution in controlling the infection. The Chief Minister informed that the number of beds with oxygen and ICU beds have been increased to good numbers. All medical college hospitals have been equipped with RT-PCR testing facilities. Also four new laboratories have been established for carrying testing at an extensive-level.
Although a sharp decline by 50 per cent in the numbers of positive cases have shown post October 2020, testing is going on as earlier. He said in July 2020 the number of positive cases were 4 percent which increased to 8 per cent in August, 15 per cent in September, 10.5 per cent in October and 7 per cent in November 2020. The case fatality ratio of COVID-19 deaths during the months of October-November had averaged at 1 percent. The CM said that initially, COVID-19 cases were very few, but after people started coming from other states, a sharp rise was recorded. He said that till day, over 3 lakh tests have been conducted.
He also informed that in order to ensure continuous flow of oxygen in hospitals, oxygen plants are being established, particularly in all medical college hospitals. During the meeting the Prime Minister noted that it is important to increase RT-PCR tests, ensure better monitoring of patients especially those in home isolation, better equipped health centres at village and community level and keep running awareness campaigns for safety from the virus. He said that the target should be to bring down the Fatality Rate below 1%. Present during the high level meeting were Health and Family Welfare Minister T S Singhdeo, Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu, Chief Secretary R P Mandal, DGP D M Awasthi, ACS (Home) Subrat Sahoo, ACS (Health) Renu G Pillay, National Health Mission Director Dr Priyanka Shukla and Director (Health Services) Neeraj Bansod.
during this second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, there are only three easy solutions which can save people from getting infected. According to Dr O P Sundrani, Specialist posted in Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, Raipur, if by religiously following these measures doctors treating serious COVID-19 patients in ICUs can remain safe then common people can easily remain safe by practicing these measures.
Wearing masks/face covers in public places, maintaining physical distancing, keeping away from crowded places and repeated washing of hands with soap and water is very necessary. If WHO is to be believed, if 90 per cent of the population wear masks/face-covers religious covering their nose and mouths, infection can be stopped from spreading. The communiqué further stated that a minor negligence can become a serious health issue now-a-days. During a survey some people opined that they feel suffocation, while wearing masks. If these people are admitted in hospital and require ventilator assistance, how will they breathe. Some others opined that they have breathing problems, hence they can’t wear masks, but doctors opined that it is utmost necessary for such people to wear masks. It has come to fore that whenever, an infected person has come into contact with others wearing masks, such persons were not infected, whereas, the family members of the infected person get infected due to nonuse of masks.