Indian PM chairs COVID-19 review meeting

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting with top officials to review the ongoing COVID-19 situation in the country, officials said.

A man lifts a refilled medical oxygen cylinder for COVID-19 patients in front of a shop in New Delhi, India, April 26, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)
A man lifts a refilled medical oxygen cylinder for COVID-19 patients in front of a shop in New Delhi, India, April 26, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)

Modi was briefed about the oxygen availability, medicines and health infrastructure in the country.

He instructed the officials to work closely with state governments to start the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants at the earliest. He also stressed that specific guidelines and strategies evolved regarding COVID-19 management needs to be properly implemented by relevant agencies in the states.

India is presently witnessing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

The health ministry Tuesday said the country reported a daily surge of 323,144 cases and 2,771 related deaths in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the federal government Tuesday submitted an affidavit in the country's Supreme Court over the COVID-19 situation, assuring that the prime minister and Home Minister Amit Shah were directly monitoring the oxygen supply situation on "war footing."

Xinhua