Govt writes to 8 states/UTs which saw sudden surge in COVID-19 cases
New Delhi, Dec 30: The Union health ministry has written to eight states and UTs to enhance testing, strengthen hospital preparedness, increase the pace and coverage of COVID-19 vaccination drive and ensure strict enforcement of restrictions to counter the spread of the infection.
In the letter, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan asked Delhi, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Jharkhand to be vigilant in view of the recent increase in domestic travel and various events such as marriages, festive celebrations, and vacations having either recently concluded or underway.
With the onset of winter and increased pollution in some states, prevalence of ILI/SARI and respiratory distress symptoms should be closely monitored, he said in the letter dated December 29.
The letter was issued as the country reported single-day rise of over 13,000 new COVID-19 cases after around 49 days and cases of Omicron variant increased to 961.
Bhushan said it has been seen that there has been an increase in the cases and lessening of doubling time in detection of the cases in few states.
Delhi has reported a sudden and significant surge in cases in the last two weeks.
"This issue needs to be addressed proactively and immediately to ensure that neither the transmission spreads further nor do we reach a situation of increased mortality due to late detection of the cases," the letter stated.
As for Gujarat, the letter highlighted that the districts of Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Surat have reported a sudden and significant surge in cases in the last two weeks.
Jharkhand's Ranchi, Karnataka's Bengaluru Urban, Haryana's Gurgaon, Tamil Nadu's Chennai, Maharashtra's Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Pune, Thane and Nagpur, and West Bengal's Kolkata have also reported a sudden and significant surge in cases in last two weeks, it said.
The ministry thus advised these states/UTs to undertake immediate measure like enhanced testing in a focused manner, with the maintenance of the ratio between RT-PCR and RAT and do pro-active contact tracing and isolation/quarantine of contacts of positive cases, their testing and follow up.
It also advised setting up containment zones and buffer zones as per extant SOPS, strengthen hospital-level preparedness, ensure optimal utilisation of financial resources under ECRP2, increased pace and coverage of Covid vaccination drive, adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour and enforcement of strict and appropriate restrictions to counter the spread of infection.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
