Union Home Secretary and Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) jointly reviewed the measures for containing spread of COVID-19 infection in the Union Territories of Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, in a meeting held on 29.08.2020 through Video Conferencing. Senior officers of MHA, MoHFW and these UTs were present.

The senior officers ofthese UTs, briefed the Union Home Secretary about steps taken by them for testing. management of COVID positive cases, isolation of COVID positive cases, availability of health infrastructure/medical personnel, para-medical staff, etc.

The Union Home Secretary as well as Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare asked senior officers of all these UTs to ensure that the administrative officers, medical professionals, para-medical staff and other people associated with containing spread of COVID-19 infection and management of COVID-19 situation work in close tandem.

The Union Territories were advised to ramp up COVID testing facilities; maintain effective surveillance for early identification of COVID positive cases; effective contact tracing; augmenting house to house surveillance by medical/para-medical teams; better monitoring of home isolation cases; clear demarcation and enforcement of containment measures in the Containment Zones; augment health infrastructure like beds, oxygenated beds, ventilators, ICU beds, ambulances, etc., as per number of projected cases; generate public awareness about preventive steps and personal hygiene. The UTs were also advised to ensure enforcement of precautionary measures like maintaining social distancing, sanitization, wearing of masks, etc.

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NW/RK/PK/AD/DDD