Modi chokes with emotion while thanking doctors, frontline workers
PM pitches for ‘doorstep treatment’ for Covid; Warns against new challenge of black fungus
While underlining that it is going to be a long battle against Covid-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday pitched for ‘doorstep treatment’ for patients and said efforts should be made to bring medical services closer to the Covid patients instead of them travelling to places for treatment.
“Jahan bimar, wahan upchar,” PM remarked, saying bringing the treatment to the patient’s doorstep will reduce the burden on the health system.
The Prime Minister was interacting with doctors and officials of his constituency Varanasi on Covid management. The Prime Minister choked with emotion as he talked about the loss of lives during the second wave of the pandemic.
“This pandemic is so big that despite all the efforts we have not been able to save the lives of our family members. This virus has snatched so many of our near ones,” Modi said, choking with emotion. He took a pause to regain composure and said, “I pay my respects to all these people and offer condolences to their near and dear ones.” He lauded the efforts of doctors, nurses, technicians, ward boys and ambulance drivers.
The Centre has asked states to effectively use telemedicine and mobile dispensaries for diagnostics and treatment in rural, tribal and peri urban areas since the Coronavirus has started spreading outside urban areas and entering rural households.
The Prime Minister warned against the “new challenge of Black Fungus” saying the country must be prepared to fight the rare and potentially fatal condition. He added vaccinations should be a mass movement in the long battle against the “unseen and shifting enemy” Covid-19.
Centre says it is making efforts to ramp up supply and availability of Amphotericin-B anti-fungal drug for treatment of Black Fungus disease. Five additional manufacturers have been licensed
to manufacture the drug within the country while production by existing five manufacturers is also being substantially ramped up.
The Prime Minister also hailed the initiative of micro containment zones and appreciated the home delivery of medicines. He requested the health workers to make this campaign as comprehensive as possible in rural areas. He said bringing doctors, labs and e-marketing companies together to provide a telemedicine facility named ‘Kashi Kavach’ is also a very innovative initiative. “We have to fight a long battle,” he added.
The overall fresh Covid19 cases remained under 3 lakh for fifth consecutive day as about 2.60 lakh new cases were detected in the last 24 hours. However, the death toll shot up to be
4,209 after a brief decline. In Delhi, the cases dropped to 3,009 for the first time since early April and positivity rate fell to 4.76%. It was expected Delhi may ease up lockdown a bit after positivity rate falls below 5% but the city still has high number of deaths – 252 on Friday. However, some states like Kerala, Karnataka have decided to extended lockdowns.
Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday announced extension of lockdown from May 24 to June 7 for a period of 14 days to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the state.
The stringent restrictions are already in effect from May 10 and was supposed to end on May 24. However, due to the new order, they would end on the morning of June 7.
“We have taken some decisions regarding the lockdown after discussing them with our senior ministers, chief secretary and other officials,” the Chief Minister told reporters.
“Heeding to the suggestions of experts, we have decided to extend the stringent restriction from May 24 to June 7,” he said.
“In view of public health and the suggestions of the experts, the restrictions have been extended, and we expect people’s cooperation, Yediyurappa said.
“I appeal to the people to abide by the Covid appropriate behaviour of wearing facemasks in public places, maintaining hygiene and social distancing in public places,” he said.
The Karnataka government had put restrictions since April 7 but imposed strict restrictions from May 10 when the Covid cases and fatalities did not abate.
Karnataka on Friday reported 32,218 fresh infections and 353 fatalities taking the total infections and deaths due to Covid to
23,67,742 and 24,207 respectively. The state has
5,14,238 active cases. Similarly, the Kerala government on Friday announced a one week extension of the statewide lockdown till May 30, to contain the spread of the pandemic.
The state has been under lockdown since May 8 after weekend restrictions and lockdown-like curbs imposed earlier failed to create any desired impact in terms of the daily caseload of the infected persons.
On May 16, the lockdown was extended to May 23.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also announced the withdrawal of “triple lockdown” measures being implemented in three districts-- Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Thrissur from May 16.
However, the “triple lockdown” will be continued in Malappuram district.