Bhubaneswar: With the continuous spike in novel coronavirus cases in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday directed the officials concerned to increase the number of ICU beds and ambulance footprint in the twin cities.
Holding a high-level meeting on COVID management through videoconferencing, Patnaik emphasised the need to strengthen health infrastructure in Khurda and Cuttack districts, as well as awareness programmes amid strict compliance with COVID-19 regulations. The Chief Minister hoped that the situation in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack would improve next week.
Social distancing, wearing of masks and ban on spitting in public are very important in controlling the spread of the virus, he said.
Expressing concern that small vendors and shopkeepers were found violating the COVID guidelines, he directed the police, Health department and municipal corporations to coordinate with each other for ensuring strict enforcement of the rules. While many people were following the rules properly, violation by a few would never be tolerated, he warned.
He congratulated the doctors and health workers as the number of patients recovering from COVID in the state has exceeded 1 lakh.
Patnaik also expressed satisfaction over improvement in COVID-19 situation in Ganjam, Sundargarh, Gajapati and Koraput districts and advised the Jajpur, Bargarh, Khurda and Cuttack Collectors and the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar municipal administrations to follow the Berhampur model. “The district magistrates can take a call on the closure of temporary medical camps, COVID Care Centres and COVID Care Homes,” he said.
Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said that more doctors and administrative officials would be sent to hotspot districts. H&FW department additional chief secretary PK Mohapatra said the recovery rate in state is 77.8 per cent, which is slightly more than the national average while the death rate stands at 0.43 per cent – the lowest in the country. He said that ‘step-down ICU policy’ will be adopted for the treatment of critically ill patients.
