Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has directed all the Deputy Commissioners of the State to focus on contact tracing especially in the rural areas keeping in view the abrupt spike in the covid-19 related cases. He was presiding over video conferencing with Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police from Shimla today to review the covid-19 situation.Jai Ram Thakur said that presently there were around 2700 active cases of corona virus in the State and it was a matter of concern that the cases had increased in a very short period. He said that most of the cases had been reported from the rural areas whereas there were very less cases in the urban areas including major tourist places which indicates that there had been no impact of tourist flow to different parts of the State. He said that social gatherings, marriage functions, feasts etc. were the main reasons behind spread of this pandemic.Chief Minister said that there were adequate oxygenated general beds, oxygen concentrators, testing kits and ventilators and the work on setting up of 28 additional PSA plants was in progress. The work on eight PSA plants had already been completed and ten more PSA plants would be completed by 31st August, 2021.Jai Ram Thakur directed the district administration of Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Chamba and Kinnaur to make provision for testing of labourers keeping in view the on going apple season in various parts of these districts.
Chief Minister said that the State Government would soon consider to impose further restrictions and reopening of schools to check further spread of covid-19. He said that the State had performed well in vaccination drive with zero percent wastage. However, there was need to intensify the vaccination drive as this was the strongest measure to contain this virus.Jai Ram Thakur said that Hamirpur, Kullu, Bilaspur, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts have already completed cent percent target of administration of first dose and target had been fixed to vaccinate all persons above the age of 18 plus within ten days. He said that 29 percent people have taken the second dose in the State and by November, 2021 all the people of the State would be given vaccine.Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioners to monitor civil and electrical works for establishing PSA plants so that this facility could be made available to patients at the earliest. He said that funds and manpower would be increased for the Police department for strengthening the mechanism of checking at the borders and other areas. He also stressed that the districts should focus on the maintenance of roads and preparation for smooth plying of vehicles during the apple season.Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh directed the districts that keeping in view the rise in covid-19 cases in rural areas, panchayats and Sub Divisional level teams should be made more active and there was also a need for micro planning. He said that a Covid Officer should be deployed on 10-12 panchayats for monitoring of covid-19 cases in these panchayats.Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu underlined the need to check religious and social functions to contain the spread of this pandemic. Secretary Health Amitabh Awasthi informed that first dose of the corona vaccine would be given to all the people within 4-5 days. As of now, 124 corona infected people were admitted in hospitals. The Deputy Commissioners apprised the Chief Minister regarding the active cases, availability of beds and other facilities in their districts.Principal Secretary Revenue K.K. Pant and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.