New Delhi: The Union Government on Saturday stressed Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka accounting for about 46% of active Covid- 19 cases and 52% of deaths of Friday, to focus on aggressive measures to break the chain of transmission and keep mortality rate below 1%.

The Health Ministry advised these states to proactively ensure higher testing, effective clinical management along with efficient monitoring at various levels to lower fatalities. Maharashtra alone accounted for 22 % of all active cases reported in a day. The Centre also highlighted the districts of concern in each state. Pune, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Sangli, Nasik, Ahmednagar, Raigad, Jalgaon, Sholapur, Satara and Palghar districts, Maharashtra were highlighted and the need for effective containment and contact tracing was emphasized.

In Andhra Pradesh, Prakasham and Chittoor districts were highlighted with the need for daily monitoring of facility- wise deaths, strengthening of hospital facilities, increasing the number of ICUs, oxygen supply and efficient clinical management were focused upon. In Karnataka, the highlighted districts Koppal, Mysore, Bavangare, and Ballery were advised to optimally utilized RT-PCR testing, to strengthen their door-to-door search for active cases and to protect their health care workers.

Cumulatively, the three states i.e. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka account for nearly 49% of the active cases and morethan 57% of Covid- 19 deaths so far in the country.