Health Ministry to deploy teams to 10 Covid hit states witnessing high case-load

After witnessing a spike in COVID-19 cases in a few states, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to send Central teams to 10 COVID-19 hit states, which are witnessing high case-load and surge in numbers. The Central teams will be sent to states including Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

"The teams will assist the state health departments in facilitating the management of the COVID-19 outbreak," said a ministry statement.

As per the statement, the teams will comprise a senior Health Ministry official, a Joint Secretary level nodal officer and a public health expert. The teams will support the state health departments in the implementation of containment measures in the affected areas, districts and cities. The 10 teams which will be sent will be in addition to 20 central teams that had already been sent to the high case load districts.

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Ministry press note

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The number of Coronavirus cases in Gujarat climbed to 7,797 on Saturday with 394 new cases coming to light, while the death toll rose to 472 with 23 more deaths. The state is the second worst-hit state in the country after Maharashtra which has surpassed 20,000 cases while reporting 779 deaths as on Saturday.

Tamil Nadu has reported 526 more positive cases, including a five-day-old baby, taking the total number to 6,535. The deceased were all women, with three hailing from the city and one from Ramanathapuram. With this, the death toll has gone up to 44.

Uttar Pradesh reported eight more coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, taking their number to 74. 163 new COVID-19 cases surfaced in the state as the number of active cases in the state rose to 1,800, while 1,499 patients have been treated and discharged so far. A total of 3,373 cases have been reported in the state so far.

Rajasthan has reported 3579 cases with 101 deaths, whereas Madhya Pradesh which was earlier dealing with leadership crisis has reported 3341 cases of which 1349 have been cured while 200 have succumbed to the virus.

Punjab, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have caseloads with 2000 mark, however, West Bengal government has been accused of concealing the actual COVID-19 situation on the ground.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Coronavirus cases in India have risen to 59,662 of which 17,847 persons have recovered and discharged from the hospital while 1981 have succumbed to the virus. India witnessed a rise of 3,320 cases in 24 hours on Saturday.