Special efforts being taken to ensure COVID-19 is contained in red zone districts: Raj minister

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Friday said special efforts were being taken to make sure coronavirus is contained in eight red zone districts in the state.

Eight districts of Rajasthan have been kept in red zone, 19 in orange zone and six in green zone by the central government, he said.

"A special action plan is being worked out for the eight districts which have been put in the red zone by the Centre," Sharma said.

"Coronavirus infection rate in the state had once reached 75 per cent but due to planned efforts of the Rajasthan government, it has now come down to 4.84 per cent," the health minister said.

Sharma said strict legal action will be taken if any private hospital in the state does not provide necessary medical facilities to the patients in OPD, IPD or emergency.

"It has come to our notice that private hospitals are not following the rules. Hospitals are recovering money from patients covered under the Ayushman Bharat Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Health Insurance scheme and the National Food Security scheme. This will certainly not be tolerated," he added.