Bhopal, Jun 3 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday claimed that the rate of COVID-19 spread in the state is slowest in the country, with the doubling rate of up to 31 days.

The chief minister made this observation while reviewing the COVID-19 situation in a meeting at the state secretariat on Wednesday, an official said.

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Chouhan had claimed that the COVID-19 spread was the slowest in the state, as the doubling rate had gone up to 31 days and the recovery rate had risen to 63.4 per cent, the official said.

The chief minister had also pointed out that the number of active cases had reduced in the state, he said.

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As on Wednesday evening, 5,445 persons had recovered from the infection, while the state had 2,772 active cases, the official data revealed.

The state had detected 168 new cases on Wednesday, 224 patients had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, the official said.

During the virtual meeting, Chouhan was informed that Neemuch district had recorded 127 fresh cases in the last seven days, he said.

The chief minister directed officials in Neemuch to monitor the spread and also directed that a team of doctors be sent to Sagar to ensure better arrangements at the Bundelkhand Medical College there.

Officials were also asked to keep monitoring the situation even as the lockdown is gradually being relaxed in the state in a phased manner.

In the meeting, additional chief secretary, health, Mohammad Suleman informed that high-flow oxygen machines would be made available at all district hospitals and other facilities where COVID-19 patients were being treated.

A normal machine can deliver five to 10 litres of oxygen per day, while a high flow machine can deliver up to 60 litres of oxygen, he said.

Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday reported 168 new COVID- 19 case and seven deaths, taking the total case count to 8,588 and fatalities to 371 in the state.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)