More than 49 lakh cumulative tests have been conducted so far, while 1,41,682 samples were tested in the last 24 hours

Maintaining that there is no space for complacency, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan said Indians need to be more disciplined in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

While chairing 16th meeting of high-level Group of Ministers on coronavirus through video-conference on Tuesday, he also said as restrictions have been eased and curbs have been lifted Indians are required to ensure that they follow norms of physical distancing, make use of masks and face covers in all public places, adhere to norms of hand hygiene and follow protocols of respiratory etiquette.

Appealing to heads of government offices and departments, he said: “Let us also not forget the ‘social vaccine’ against COVID-19 through strict adherence of norms of physical distancing, hand hygiene and mask or face covers”.

He also reminded everybody to download Aarogya Setu app which will help in self- risk assessment and in protection against COVID-19. “More than 12.55 crore people in the country have downloaded the app, as on date,” he said.

The meeting was attended by Dr S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Hardeep S. Puri Minister of Civil aviation, Nityananda Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mansukh Lal Mandaviya, Minister of State for Shipping, and Chemical and Fertilizers, and Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State, Health and Family Welfare along with Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff. It was also participated by members of the GoM officers, while following norms of physical distancing.

As per a press note from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the GoM was also apprised about the growing medical infrastructure in the country and was informed that as of June 9, the COVID related health infrastructure has been strengthened with the availability of 958 dedicated COVID Hospitals with 1,67,883 isolation beds, 21,614 ICU beds and 73,469 oxygen supported beds. 2,313 dedicated COVID Health Centres with 1,33,037 Isolation beds; 10,748 ICU beds and 46,635 oxygen supported beds have also been operationalised.

As many as 7,525 COVID care centres with 7,10,642 beds are now available to combat COVID-19 in the country, while the ventilators available for COVID beds are 21,494, the GoM was informed.

The Centre has also provided 128.48 lakh N95 masks and 104.74 lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to the States, Union Territories and Central government supported institutions. The Centre has further placed an order of 60,848 ventilators. ICMR’s testing capacity has increased through 553 government and 231 private laboratories (total of 784 labs).

Across the country, more than 49 lakh cumulative tests have been conducted so far. Also, 1,41,682 samples have been tested in the last 24 hours.