Top Union Ministry officials review measures to contain COVID-19 in UTs

Union Home Secretary and Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) jointly reviewed the measures for containing the spread of COVID-19 infection in the Union Territories on Saturday.

The union secretaries reviewed the measured for containing the spread of COVID-19 in Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, in a meeting held through video conferencing on August 29.

During the course of the meeting, senior officers of the UTs, briefed the Union Home Secretary about steps taken by them for testing management of COVID positive cases, isolation of COVID positive cases, availability of health infrastructure/medical personnel, para-medical staff, etc.

The officials from the UTs were also asked to ensure that the medical workers and others in the frontline work in close tandem to contain the spread of the infection.

They were also advised to ramp up COVID testing facilities, maintain effective surveillance for early detection of positive cases and other measures including, maintaining social distancing, stization, wearing of masks, etc.

Earlier yesterday, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to chief secretaries of all states and union territories to not impose any local lockdown outside the containment zones without prior consultation with the Centre.

The letter said there won't be any restrictions in inter-state movements of persons and goods.

The government issued COVID-19 guidelines for Unlock-4, which will come into effect from September 1. The Centre has decided to open more activities outside the containment zones.

According to the Union Health Ministry, India's COVID-19 tally stands at 34,63,973 including 7,52,424 active cases and 26,48,999 cured/discharged/migrated cases as of August 29.

( With inputs from ANI )