Met with a strong snub from High Court, Himachal Pradesh government on Sunday put in place a twin plan to increase the capacity of beds by getting with new prefabricated Covid care centres and relaunch contact tracing drive especially in hotspot districts of Shimla and Mandi.
More than 100 persons have died due to coronavirus during the past 15 days in Himachal Pradesh as the total number of cases have already crossed over 29,500.
Shimla and Mandi have seen the biggest spurt in the cases ahead of the winters.
At a meeting of Deputy Commissioners, SPs and top medical authorities, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the recent spike in the cases and mortalities have caused an alarm.
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"We have to take this development seriously and respond effectively to contain the infection before the situation takes a grave turn. Right now, stress must be laid on contact tracing of the infected persons so that immediate preventive steps must be taken," Thakur told the officers at a video conferencing.
During the meeting, one prime reason noted for this spread of infection was large gatherings like marriage parties and community get together happening in a close environment.
"It has been felt that the casual approach of people and laxity in adhering to the laid down SOPs is the major reason for the spread of the virus. Social gatherings are attributing maximum to the increase in Covid cases in the State," Chief Minister admitted.
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He asked for a greater focus on IEC to sensitize the people regarding greater chances of getting infected in social gatherings such as marriages and dhams/community feasts.
There is also an urgent need to adhere to proper protocol for the treatment of asymptotic patients under home isolation. Adequate arrangement of pulse oximeter should be made for the patients so that they could regularly monitor the oxygen level in blood.
"More ambulances with oxygen cylinder must also be deployed to facilitate the prompt transportation of critical patients from home Isolation to Covid care centres or Covid hospitals," Thakur asked.
Last week, in a suo moto action based on media reports on the shortage of beds in Covid care ward set up at Indira Gandhi Medical College Shimla, the High Court had ordered the government to increase bed capacity and ensure that all Corona positive cases get proper indoor care.
Chief Minister directed that proposed prefabricated Covid Care Centres with adequate bed facilities should be set up at five places including Indira Gandhi Medical College Shimla, Dr Rajender Prasad Medical College Tanda, Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College Ner Chowk and at Nalagarah to meet out the demand in case of increase in several Covid patients.
Health Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal said efforts were underway to ensure community participation to ensure a check on the spread of the virus.
Amitabh Awasthi, state health secretary informed that plan has been formulated to find out the cause of an increasing number of Covid cases in Mandi and Shimla district in particular though community gatherings and marriage functions are seen as the biggest cause winters setting in now could increase the risks.
