Centre Rushes Teams To Maharashtra, Punjab To Monitor Situation Amid Spike In Covid-19 Cases

The teams deployed by the Centre will assist state health departments in monitoring Covid-19 situation and containing the spread of deadly virus.

(Image: PTI)

New Delhi: Amid significant surge in daily Coronavirus cases, the Centre has rushed high-level multi-disciplinary public health teams to Maharashtra and Punjab, Union Health Ministry informed on Saturday adding that teams are being deployed to assist State Health Departments in coronavirus surveillance, control and containment measures.

As per the information shared by the ministry, the high-level team to Maharashtra will be led by P Ravindran who is the senior CMO, Disaster Management Cell, MOHFW. Meanwhile, the public health team to Punjab will be led by S K Singh who is the Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi.

The teams deployed by the Centre will assist state health departments in monitoring Covid-19 situation and containing the spread of deadly virus. Currently, there are 6,661 active coronavirus cases in Punjab and 90,055 cases in Maharashtra.

After analysing the situation, the teams will brief chief secretary/secretary (health) on their observations and remedial measures to be undertaken by the respective state health authorities.

The Health Ministry said that Union government has been leading the fight against Covid-19 pandemic with a 'Whole of Government and Whole of Society' approach under the umbrella strategy of Cooperative Federalism.

"These teams interact with the state and UT authorities and get a first-hand understanding of the challenges and issues being faced by them so as to strengthen their ongoing activities and remove bottlenecks, if any. The reports of central teams are shared with the states for further follow up action," the ministry said.

In order to strengthen the initiatives for Covid-19 management, government has been deputing central teams from time to time to visit various states/UTs.