Amid COVID scare; Health Minister reviews preparedness for vector-borne diseases in Delhi

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday held a review meeting with Delhi government officials and the city's municipal corporations over the preparedness to check vector-borne diseases in the national capital. The Union Minister said that the meeting was necessary as everyone was busy in battling COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, it's important to take measures to control vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and malaria. 

"Today, I held a review meeting with the officials of Delhi government and city's municipal corporations over the preparedness to deal with vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and malaria. It is important to take measures to control these diseases," said Dr Vardhan.

"It was important to have a meeting so that vector-borne diseases are not ignored. Last year, around 5,000 cases of dengue were reported. It is important to be better prepared to deal with such diseases," added Dr Vardhan.

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Harsh Vardhan Says Delhi Needs More Stringent Action for COVID-19

Harsh Vardhan on Monday said that the national capital needs to take more stringent measures to contain coronavirus. This comes after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday made it clear that the time has come to re-open Delhi as people will have to be ready to live with coronavirus, and said it is impossible that COVID-19 infection cases will be zero. So far, more than 4,500 coronavirus cases have been reported in Delhi. 

Speaking to the media, the Health Minister said that Delhi is one of those states in the country where more strict action is needed to be taken in order to control the coronavirus cases. He added that the fight against it needs to be taken more seriously.

Harsh Vardhan felt that minimum relaxation should be given during lockdown 3.0, but it is totally up to Delhi government. Furthermore, he said that the Health and Home Ministries have given guidelines, but it is the state government, who needs to decide as to how much and in what way those guidelines should be implemented in their states according to the situation there.

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(With Inputs from ANI)

(Image credits: PTI)