Uttarakhand registered the highest number of coronavirus patients on a single day on Friday. With 102 positive cases, the tally of Covid-19 reached 602. The scene is alarming as a record 54 were found affected with the pandemic in Dehradun city only. Earlier this month on 23 May 91 cases were reported in the hill state.
In a move to increase testing facilities in Uttarakhand, the state government will be taking support of private hospitals/laboratories. All the hospitals/laboratories, which have approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research, will be empanelled and used for conducting Covid-19 tests. Even other private units will be encouraged to start Covid-19 test facilities. The decision in this regard was taken at a cabinet meeting held in Dehradun on Friday.
The sudden jump of coronavirus patient number from 500 to 602 in 24 hours has created worry for Uttarakhand government. Besides the rising number, poor facilities at quarantine centres are also a major issue of concern for the Trivendra Singh Rawat government. Poor food, facilities and medical support continues to expose the big claims of state government.
Even the Uttarakhand High Court took a note of poor facilities at the quarantine centres. Making an observation on a PIL the court asserted that the conditions in many of these quarantine centers, to say the least, are pathetic. Highlighting better hygiene and clean toilets, the Uttarakhand High Court direct the concerned Secretaries of the District Legal Services Authorities of Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar and Dehradun to make a personal visit of these quarantine centers and file its report before the Registrar General online.