Tracking, tracing and testing needed to check COVID spread: PM Modi at Varanasi meet

PM Modi took stock of the coronavirus situation in his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, he stressed on the importance of testing, tracking and treating as the only way to overcome the second wave of the COVID-19.

File photo

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (April 18, 2021) held a meeting to take stock of the coronavirus situation in his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. At the virtual meet, PM Modi stressed on the importance to test, track and treat as that is the only way to overcome the second wave of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Prime Minister told the officials that the basic COVID-19 rules like frequent sanitisation of hands, wearing masks and maintaining social distance should be followed thouroughly. 

Sharing the details of his meet on Twitter, PM Modi wrote:

आज अपने संसदीय क्षेत्र वाराणसी में कोविड-19 के खिलाफ जंग में जुटे जनप्रतिनिधियों और अधिकारियों के साथ वीडियो कॉन्फ्रेंसिंग के जरिए चर्चा की। इस महामारी से प्रभावी तरीके से निपटने की तैयारियों के साथ-साथ बचाव एवं सुरक्षा संबंधी गतिविधियों की भी समीक्षा की।https://t.co/xjZKK1GWOU — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 18, 2021

Further, he lauded the efforts of the medical fraternity that has worked tirelessly through the entire crisis for over a year. PM Modi highlighted how the medical facilities in Varanasi had been expanded over the last 5 to 6 years making it better equipped to handle such a crisis.

The officials gave the PM a detailed account of the situation in Varanasi including the number of beds in isolation centres, availability of vaccines as well as availability of medicines.

On Saturday, the PM had reviewed the preparedness to handle the COVID-19 situation in the country checking for the availability and supply of ventilators, oxygen and medicines as the number of COVID-19 cases surged to a record high.

"Together India had defeated COVID-19 last year and India can do it again, with the same principles but faster speed and coordination," he had said.

PM Modi reiterated his statement that there is no substitute for 'testing, tracking and treatment', and that early testing and proper tracking remain key to reducing mortality.

Meanwhile, India registered a record 2,61,500 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the country's caseload to 1,47,88,109. With 1,501 COVID-19 fatalities in the past 24 hours, the death toll has now reached 1,77,150, as per Ministry of Health data on Sunday (April 18, 2021).