By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, SEPT 07, 2020: THE Health Ministry has been regularly engaging with States and UTs that have been exhibiting either a sudden surge in COVID cases, high caseload or reporting a higher mortality in some districts.

The Centre yesterday exhorted the States of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to focus on undertaking aggressive measures to break the chain of transmission and to ensure that the mortality is kept below 1%. The States have been advised to proactively ensure higher testing, effective clinical management to lower fatality and save lives along with efficient monitoring at various levels.

Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka account for about 46% of active cases reported nationally in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra alone accounts for 22% of all active cases reported in the last 24 hours.

Similarly, these three states account for 52% of all COVID deaths reported across the country in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra alone accounted for 35% of all deaths reported in the last 24 hours.

The Union Home Ministry also highlighted the districts of concern in each State. In Maharashtra, Pune, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Sangli, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Raigad, Jalgaon, Solapur, Satara and Palghar were highlighted and need for effective containment and contact tracing was emphasized.

In Andhra Pradesh, Prakasam and Chittoor were highlighted as districts of concern and the need for daily monitoring of facility wise deaths, strengthening of hospital facilities, increasing the number of ICUs, oxygen beds and efficient clinical management were focused upon.

In Karnataka, the highlighted districts of Koppal, Mysuru, Davangere and Bellari were advised to optimally utilize RT-PCR testing facilities,  to strengthen their door to door active case search and to protect their healthcare workers.

In cumulative terms, five States account for more than 60% of the total active cases in the country. Maharashtra contributes maximum to the active case load amounting to almost 25%, followed by Andhra Pradesh (12.06%), Karnataka (11.71%), Uttar Pradesh (6.92%) and Tamil Nadu which stands at 6.10%. Of these, three States of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka account for nearly 49% of the Active Cases and more than 57% of COVID deaths.

Of the total deaths in the country, 70% are recorded in just five States of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh. Maharashtra alone accounts for 37.33% of the total deaths.