Coronavirus LIVE Updates | PM Modi Holds A Review Meeting On COVID-19 Situation & Vaccination

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review the status of preparedness to handle the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Various aspects relating to medicines, oxygen, ventilators and vaccination were discussed.

The PM stressed in the meeting that there is no substitute to testing, tracking and treatment. Early testing and proper tracking remains key to reduce mortality. He also said that local administrations need to be proactive and sensitive to people’s concerns.

The Prime Minister directed that close coordination with States must be ensured in handling the pandemic. He said that all necessary measures must be taken to ramp up the availability of hospital beds for Covid patients. He also directed that additional supply of beds through temporary hospitals and isolation centres should be ensured.

He spoke about the need to utilize the full potential of India’s pharmaceutical industry to meet the rising demand of various medicines. He reviewed the status of supply of Remdesivir and other medicines.

Besides, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tested Positive for Coronavirus disease.

Apart from this, the Uttar Pradesh Govt ordered that patients whose RT-PCR tests are negative but are suspected to be COVID-19 positive after X-Rays, CT Scans, Blood Reports or Symptoms or Doctor’s opinion — will be treated as COVID-19 patients in category of ‘Presumptive Covid’.

Meanwhile, Delhi has reported around 24,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours and there is a shortage of oxygen and Remdesivir, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday.

This is the highest single-day cases in the national capital. Delhi had reported 19,486 new coronavirus cases and 141 deaths on Friday. Kejriwal said Delhi has a limited number of ICU beds and oxygen and ICU beds are decreasing very sharply.

“Delhi has a limited number of ICU beds. Oxygen and ICU beds are decreasing very sharply. We are taking several steps to scale up beds capacity,” he said in a webcast.

The price of the Remdesivir Injection has been slashed significantly after government intervention.

On the intervention of the Government, the major manufacturers/marketers of ‘Remdesivir injection’ have reported voluntary reduction in Maximum Retail Price (MRP): Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizers #Remedisivir pic.twitter.com/h0m9DUrXaE

— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) April 17, 2021

Besides, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has tested COVID 19 positive. The actor shared the news on Instagram with a statement in both Hindi and English.

India reported 234,692 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, the highest single-day spike so far since the pandemic began. With this, India’s COVID-19 tally has shot up to 14,526,609 cases. India also reported the highest-ever single-day spike in COVID-19 related deaths with 1,341 fatalities. The death toll from the deadly infection stands at 173,152.

Also, Delhi and Maharashtra recorded their biggest single-day rise in coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic in January 2020. The national capital registered 19,486 new cases, taking its tally to 803,623, while Maharashtra’s count rose to 3,703,584 with 63,729 infections.