The more reliable RT-PCR testing for Covid-19 will soon start at airports and railway stations in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced on Friday, detailing the steps his government has taken to beat a second deadly wave of Covid-19.
Meeting editors of various media institutions in Raipur, Baghel sought suggestions to check the spread of the virus and the economic activities to be conducted during the crisis. Admitting to an alarming rise in number of Covid cases in Chhattisgarh, he said all necessary steps are being to check Covid infection and provide treatment to the patients, with the help of social organizations. Urging private hospitals to adopt a "humanitarian approach", he said that soon rates of test and treatment for Covid will be fixed in these institutions. Similarly, the rate of Remedesiver injection will be fixed. There is no shortage of ventilators and oxygen beds and adequate funds are available for Covid prevention drives, the Chief Minister said. Baghel said 4,500 doses of the vaccine are available in government and private hospitals. Necessary steps are being taken to expand Covid screening, treatment and vaccination facilities. He reiterated that he has urged the Prime Minister to lower to 18 years the minimum age for vaccination. The Education Minister has been instructed to postpone the date of the 10th board examinations under the Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education, he added. Testing facilities in rural areas will be further expanded, he said.
Services of doctors working in other sectors will be availed for Covid treatment, Baghel said. Efforts are on to overcome the medical staff shortage. Graduating nursing students are being trained and deployed for Covid duty.
He said the state's Covid positivity rate rose to 1 percent in March and then shot up to 24 percent on April 7. Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund and Bemetara districts have the highest number of Covid positive cases.
Till April 8, a total of 37,27,552 vaccine doses have been provided in the state, he said. The first dose of vaccination has been given to 87 percent of health workers, 84 percent of frontline workers and 43 percent of those above 45 years. Chhattisgarh has 207 containment zones where active surveillance is being done, he said.
