PM Narendra Modi calls for quick, decisive steps as COVID cases rise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed concern over rising COVID-19 cases in some states and said that there was a need to take quick, decisive steps now. 

“We will have to immediately stop the emerging second wave of Corona and for this, we will have to take quick and decisive steps,” PM Modi said during a meeting with all Chief Ministers.

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India on Wednesday reported 28,903 new COVID-19 cases. Five states – Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu – continue to report a high number of daily COVID-19 cases, and account for 71.10% of the new infections. 

In a virtual interaction with the CMs over the rising cases and vaccination drive, PM Modi said, “If we do not stop it here, then a condition for a nationwide outbreak may emerge.”

The confidence brought by India’s fight against the pandemic so far should not cause carelessness, he said, and asked chief ministers to take measures, including more testing, enforcement of preventive measures as well as increase in number of vaccination centres to curb the virus.

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People should not be put on panic-mode but need to ensure that they get rid of this problem as well, he said.

“Test, track and treat” should be taken as seriously now as it has been for over a year since the outbreak, he added.