No shortage of vaccine, claims Union Health Minister
New Delhi: Amidst unprecedented rise in new Corona cases in the country, the Government today acknowledged that India reported its highest single day spike on April 12, 2021 which was also the highest number of daily new cases reported in the world. The country contributed 22.8% of the total cases reported worldwide on April 12.
Still, eleven states – Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh – are reporting an unprecedented surge in new COVID cases. All these States/Union Territories have already crossed their highest reported daily case threshold with some districts like Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Nashik, Thane, Lucknow, Raipur, Ahmedabad and Aurangabad also following the same pattern.
Conceded India’s Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan: “India is currently reporting the sharpest growth rate of 7.6% in new COVID cases, which is 1.3 times higher than case growth rate of 5.5% reported in June 2020. This is leading to an alarming rise in daily number of Active Cases, which currently stand at 16,79,000. There is also a sharp growth of 10.2% in the number of deaths. The widening gap between Daily New Cases and Daily New Recoveries reflects that the infection is spreading at a much faster rate than recoveries with consistently growing active cases.”
In the last 24 hours, 2,34,692 new cases were registered and 1,341 deaths were reported, according the Ministry of Union Health and Family Welfare . While ten States including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan reported 79.32% of the new cases, Maharashtra reported the highest daily new cases at 63,729, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 27,360, and Delhi, 19,486 new cases. Maharashtra also saw the maximum casualties (398), followed by Delhi which reported 141 daily deaths.
At a high-level review meeting between Dr. Vardhan and the Health Ministers of 11 States/UTs here today, all States raised the issues of augmenting supply of oxygen cylinders; stepping up supply of Remdesivir in hospitals; adding to the ventilator stock; and enhanced supply of vaccine doses. Many of them raised the issue of dovetailing the Medical Oxygen supply lines and the capping of prices of essential drugs like Remdesivir which has been sold in the black market at exorbitant prices. Double mutant strain in Maharashtra was a key point of concern. The Delhi government requested for additional beds in central government hospitals as was done in 2020 to help tide over the emergent health crisis.
Also read: Compared to past week, India sees 70% rise in new Corona cases this week, WHO
Dr. Vardhan, , assured a fresh supply of the lifesaving machines to the States: 1121 ventilators are to be given to Maharashtra, 1700 to Uttar Pradesh, 1500 to Jharkhand, 1600 to Gujarat, 152 to Madhya Pradesh and 230 to Chhattisgarh.Detailing the number of beneficiaries vaccinated in each targeted segment of the population, Dr. Vardhan also addressed the perceived issue of vaccine shortage. The total consumption of vaccines so far (wastage included) had been approximately 12 crore 57 lakh 18 thousand doses against the 14 crore 15 lakh doses provided by the Centre to the States. About 1 crore 58 lakh doses are still available with the States while another 1 crore and 16 lakh 84 thousand are in pipeline, to be delivered by next week. “Stocks of every small state are replenished after 7 days. For big states, the time period is 4 days,” he added while emphasizing that there is no shortage of vaccine, he strongly pushed for the further ramping up of vaccination exercise.
The notification of Home Ministry granting permission to the States to utilize up to 50% of their annual allocation of State Disaster Response Fund and that of the Union Health Ministry allowing for utilization of unspent pending balance under National Health Mission as on 1st April 2021 for COVID management purposes was reiterated.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Railways made wearing a face cover or mask compulsory in railway premises including trains, and said fines upto Rs. 500 under Indian Railways (Penalties for activities affecting cleanliness at Railway Premises) Rules 2012 shall be imposed by railway officials authorized for the purpose from persons not wearing mask.
– global bihari bureau
