PM Narendra Modi chairs COVID-19 review meeting- 5 points

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting on Sunday (January 9) to review the COVID-19 situation in the country. 

The meeting conducted via video conference was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba and other officials, ANI reported. 

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in the country, through video conference pic.twitter.com/EY5u7LAaC3 — ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2022

Here are the key points made by PM during the meeting:

1. Ensure adequate health infrastructure at the district level. Accelerate the vaccine drive for adolescents in mission mode. 

2. Need continuous scientific research in testing, vaccines and pharmacological interventions including genome sequencing given that the virus is evolving continuously. 

3. Ensure continuity of non-Covid health services and leverage telemedicine to ensure availability of health-related guidance to people in remote and rural areas. 

4. Meeting with CMs be convened to discuss state-specific scenarios, best-practices and the public health response. 

5. Continue Jan Andolan, focus on Covid Appropriate Behaviour critical in our ongoing battle against COVID-19. 

The review meeting comes as India reported 1,59,632 new coronavirus cases, the highest in 224 days, as per Union health ministry data on Sunday. The daily positivity rate in the country jumped to 10.21 per cent as India reels under the third COVID-19 wave threat. The active cases have risen to 5,90,611, the highest in around 197 days.

The total tally of the Omicron variant has reached 3,623 in the country. Out of the total 3,623 Omicron cases, Maharashtra logged the highest with 1,009 cases, followed by Delhi with 513 and Karnataka with 441 cases. 

With forthcoming elections in five Assemblies-- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa-- the Election Commission of India on Saturday while announcing poll dates banned physical rallies, roadshows, nukkad sabhas, padayatras and vehicle rallies till January 15 due to COVID-19 scare. 

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will interact with state health ministers on Monday over the prevailing coronavirus situation, government sources told ANI. 

(With agency inputs)

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