Interacting with the Chief Ministers of six states with a high COVID-19 positivity rate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Centre recently announced a Rs 23,000 crore emergency response package to combat coronavirus and advised these states to utilise funds from the package to strengthen health infrastructure.
During the meeting, CM Uddhav Thackeray urged PM Modi for national policy to stop crowding at religious, social and political events.
In the online meet, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, CM Uddhav Thackeray briefed PM Modi on management of the second wave and preparedness for the third wave in state.
PM Modi, in the meeting, said, "We are at a point where there are talks about a possible third wave of COVID. In last few days, around 80% of new cases have come from these 6 states."
"The states reporting high new cases need to take proactive measures to stop the possibility of a third wave of COVID-19. We need to move ahead with a focus on 'Test-Track-Treat- Vaccinate' approach: PM Modi to CMs of 6 states with high positivity rate," PM Modi added.
Maharashtra's coronavirus caseload rose to 61,89,257 with addition of 8,010 new infections on Thursday, while the death toll reached 1,26,560 after 170 patients succumbed to the respiratory illness, a health department official said here.
The state witnessed a drop in the daily COVID-19 cases, while the fatalities remained the same as compared to Wednesday, when it had reported 8,602 new infections and 170 deaths.
Significantly, Parbhani and Jalgaon cities did not report any new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, the official said.
As many as 7,391 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, pushing the number of recovered cases to 59,52,192.
Maharashtra's COVID-19 recovery rate is 96.17 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.04 per cent.
The state now has 1,07,205 active coronavirus cases.
According to the official, out of 4,48,24,211 COVID-19 tests done so far, 2,14,935 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.
(With inputs from agencies)
