Centre asks States to focus on reducing Covid deaths

Hyderabad: The Union government has asked the States to focus on reducing the number of deaths due to coronavirus and also ensure the availability of adequate masks and PPE kits to check the spread of deadly virus.

Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Saturday held a video conference with all the Chief Secretaries of the States.

The issues pertaining to strict enforcement of lockdown measures in containment zones, increasing testing capacities and utilisation of technology for tracing, testing and other measures were discussed.

The Cabinet Secretary underlined that the focus should be on keeping the number of deaths as low as possible.

The chief secretaries should also personally review and take stock of the personal protection equipment, availability of N95 masks, clinical management and other infrastructural issues.

Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar informed that the State has ramped up testing facilities and working on enforcing surveillance in containment zones after the visit of the central team to the state.

DGP Mahender Reddy and other officials were also present in the conference.