Government Admits COVID-19 Cases Rising Due To Ease In Lockdown Restrictions & Migrant Movement

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare today said that Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases for the past three weeks as lockdown rules have been eased and inter-state migration has been allowed.

The Ministry advised that the link with Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres -- needs to be established so that immediate health check-ups can be arranged and tele-medicine services can be rolled out from these centres.

"To meet with the surge among incoming migrant workers, ASHAs and ANMs can be given additional incentives. Pay special attention to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, under-5-year children, elderly, those with co-morbidities and also mobilise the Anganwadi workforce in the districts. The nutrition needs have to be checked among children under the age of five," said Preeti Sudan, health secretary.

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The Ministry also stressed that immediate measures need to be taken to continue essential health programmes for TB, leprosy, COPD and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

India is now in the bracket of top 10 countries worst hit by the novel coronavirus. Experts have attributed the surge in cases to easing of travel restrictions and movement of migrants besides enhanced testing capacity.

According to AIIMS Director, Randeep Guleria, the present rise in cases has been reported predominantly from hotspot areas but there is a possibility of further rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the coming few days due to increased travel.

"Those who are asymptomatic or are in presymptomatic stage will pass through screening mechanisms and may reach areas where there have been minimal or less cases," Guleria said.

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He said there was a need for more intense surveillance and monitoring in areas where migrants have returned to contain the spread of the disease.

Guleria also noted that testing capacity has been significantly ramped up which is reflecting in the increasing number of cases being detected.

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 4,167 and the number of cases climbed to 1, 45,380 in the country, registering an increase of 146 deaths and 6,535 cases since Monday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry.