PM Narendra Modi to review COVID-19 situation, vaccination drive with all CMs amid massive surge in cases

NEW DELHI: Amid an unprecedented rise in the COVID-19 cases across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the situation with the Chief Ministers of all states and Union Territories on Thursday (April 8).

According to the sources, the crucial review meeting is scheduled to be held at 6.30 PM on Thursday. The meeting has been called in the wake of India reporting an average of 78,489 COVID-19 cases - a report based on a 7-day moving average to assess the number of new cases of the pandemic.

During the meeting, Prime Minister is expected to discuss the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic across the country along with issues related to the vaccination via video conferencing, and the measures to curb the second wave of the pandemic.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of 1,03,558 new coronavirus cases reported in the last 24 hours, the highest ever single-day spike since the onset of the pandemic last year, taking the total tally to 1,25,89,067 on Monday.

Taking note of the alarming rate of the spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country with 10 states contributing more than 91 per cent of cases, the Prime Minister on Sunday also chaired a high-level meeting and directed that the "mission-mode" approach be continued in states and districts reporting high cases.

The PM reminded all the states to take required stringent measures with comprehensive restrictions in place so that the collective gains of COVID-19 management in the country in the last 15 months are not squandered.

In a meeting with Chief Ministers of states and UTs on March 17, the Prime Minister had said that India needs to take quick and decisive steps soon to stop an emerging second peak of COVID-19 infections, and that "There should be daily monitoring. More beneficiaries should be mobilised to stop wastage."

Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Haryana have been deemed states of "grave concern".

The active cases have currently increased to 7,41,830 comprising 5.89 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 92.80 per cent. 

On Monday, the death toll increased to 1,65,101 with 478 new fatalities. The number of people who have recovered from the disease surged to 1,16,82,136, while the case fatality rate stood at 1.31 per cent, according to official data.

The Centre has advised high-burden states and union territories to take stringent measures for containment of the surge. So far, 7.91 crore doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16.