Nearly 6000 fresh COVID cases have been reported from West Bengal in the past 24 hours.

The total number of COVID-19 cases crossed 6 lakh 30 thousand so far.

The number of active COVID cases in the state rises by 3,571 and the total active cases stand at 32,621.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted that the government is committed to ensuring the adequate availability of COVID vaccines in the country. Mr Modi highlighted that India has become the fastest nation to reach the landmark of ten crore vaccinations.

Interacting with Governors and Lt Governors through video conferencing, Prime Minister said, during the four days of Tika Utsav, the vaccination drive was expanded and new vaccination centres also came up. Mr Modi said Governors can spread awareness about AYUSH-related remedies along with spreading messages about vaccination and treatment.

Praising the citizens who participated in this battle last year considering it their duty, the Prime Minister said, the same feeling of Janbhagidari needs to be encouraged now as well. Mr Modi said that the combined power of all community organizations, political parties, NGOs and social institutions needs to be harnessed.

Prime Minister suggested that the Governors can actively engage to ensure that social institutions collaborate seamlessly with the State Governments towards micro containment. He said, their social network can help ensure an increase in the capacity of ambulances, ventilators and oxygen in hospitals.

Discussing the surge in the Covid cases, Mr Modi said, in this stage of the fight against the virus, the country stands to gain from last year’s experience and improved healthcare capacity. He also discussed the increased RT-PCR testing capacity and noted that the country has become Aatmanirbhar with respect to kits and other material related to testing.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu asked Governors to collaborate actively with Chief Ministers in the fight against COVID-19. He said they can provide guidance to the state governments on crafting a more effective strategy.

The Vice President said the Governors can act as potential agents of change and supplement the efforts of Chief Ministers in encouraging more partners to contribute to the fight against the pandemic. Mr Naidu asked the Governors to work with the state governments and make it a people’s movement. He said educational institutions, civil society organizations, philanthropists and corporate houses have become active partners during the last year in the fight against pandemic and there is a need to associate them during this second wave as well.

Emphasizing that the importance of adopting Covid-appropriate behaviour needs to be widely communicated, he said, the Governors can greatly expand the public outreach and influence public behaviour. Mr Naidu underlined that the spread of the virus can be controlled with the support of the community.

Expressing concern over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, Mr Naidu cautioned that the healthcare infrastructure will inevitably come under tremendous pressure. He called for a special focus on ten states that account for 85 percent of national cases and 89 percent deaths reported in the last 14 days.

The Vice President also noted that the Central government has decided the COVID-19 strategy in close collaboration with the states and called upon everyone to keep political differences aside and act unitedly as a team. He also endorsed the Prime Minister’s suggestion for an all-party meeting saying it will help in brainstorming new ideas, sharing of knowledge and exchange of best practices and effective understanding of field concerns and various perspectives.