PM Modi launches campaign to trim virus spread
United News of India
New Delhi, Oct 8: As India reported another 78,524 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 971 more deaths in the past 24 hours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a public movement to promote wearing of masks, maintaining social distance and regular hand wash to prevent the spread of the infection.
With the new additions, the total number of cases have reached 68,35,655, highest outside the United States, while the death toll surged to 1,05,526, third largest in the world.
‘Let us always remember: Wear a mask. Wash hands. Follow social distancing. Practice ‘Do Gaj Ki Doori.’ Together, we will succeed. Together, we will win against COVID-19,’ PM Modi said in a social media post.
Under the campaign, more focus will be put on high case-load districts, simple and easily understandable messages will be communicated through all types of platforms apart from fixing posters and banners about COVID-19 and awareness of government health schemes.
Despite the high number of cases, recovery rate reached to 85.25 per cent in the country. The active cases at present are 9,02,425, around 13.20 per cent of the total caseload, as per the official data.
Among the deaths, maximum 39,072 were reported from Maharashtra, followed by 9,984 from Tamil Nadu, 9,574 from Karnataka, 6,200 from Uttar Pradesh, 6,086 from Andhra Pradesh, 5, 616 from Delhi, 5,376 from West Bengal, 3,712 from Punjab and 3,531 from Gujarat.
President Ram Nath Kovind appealed to the citizens to stand united to defeat COVID-19. “The nation stands united to defeat COVID-19 through collective determination and discipline. I urge fellow citizens to #Unite2FightCorona! Let us all – Wear a mask, Wash hands, Practice social distancing. Together we will fight, we will win!, (sic)” President Kovind tweeted.
A similar appeal was also made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The national average of COVID-19 tests per day per million population is 865, the Union Health ministry said.
