West Bengal Health Minister skips meeting with Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan called a meeting after at least nine states still reporting a spike in COVID-19 cases. West Bengal Health Minister skipped the meeting, however, it was attended by Health Ministers of other states.

New Delhi: West Bengal Health Minister on Monday skipped the meeting with Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan over COVID-19.

The meeting that was called by Union Health Ministry after at least nine states still reporting a spike in COVID-19 cases was, however, attended by Health Ministers of other states.

Additional secretary health from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh attended the meeting in absence of health ministers.

The meeting was called after some states have been reporting a rise in the cases, decline in testing, high rate of mortality within the first 24 hours of hospitalization, high doubling rate, higher death among the vulnerable population groups etc.

"The coming winter and the long festive season pose a significant risk that could threaten the gains made collectively till now against COVID-19," said Dr Vardhan.

He said that people need to be more vigilant for the entire festive season that started with Dusshera and would continue till Christmas and then Maker Sankranti next year.

He informed that from one lab, India at present has as many as 2,074 COVID testing labs.

"India's testing capacity has now increased up to 1.5 million per day. Only 0.44 per cent are on ventilators, 2.47 per cent are in ICU and 4.13 per cent are on oxygen support," said Dr Vardhan.

Participating in the meeting, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan requested all states to focus on 10 key areas to content coronavirus pandemic.

This includes an upper hand over its trajectory, increasing testing, targeted testing at marketplaces, workplaces, religious congregations which could have the potential to become super spreaders, among others.

The Health Ministry has also appealed to representatives of Panchayat Raj institutions, urban local bodies, MPs, MLAs, and local influencers to raise social awareness and spread COVID-19 behaviour.