Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over a high-level meeting with senior government officials on Thursday to review the coronavirus situation. He urged attendees to wear masks in crowded places and adhere to proper Covid behaviour. Additionally, PM Modi urged states to intensify Covid testing and prioritise genome sequencing for all positive cases.
“Covid-19 not over yet. Need for strengthened surveillance with focus on genome sequencing and increased testing. Strengthen ongoing surveillance measures at international airports,” PM Narendra Modi told officials at the review meeting.
PM Modi added that all eligible individuals, particularly the weak and elderly, should be encouraged to take a “precaution” or booster dose. He also demanded that the availability and costs of essential medications be regularly monitored.
The entire country’s Covid infrastructure must be kept at a high level of readiness in terms of both equipment and human resources, PM Modi emphasised.
“The Prime Minister advised states to audit Covid-19 specific facilities to ensure operational readiness of hospital Infrastructure, including oxygen cylinders, PSA plants, ventilators,” a PMO statement said.
The health secretary and the member (health) at the NITI Aayog presented a thorough overview of the global Covid-19 situation at the meeting, including the countries seeing a rise in cases.
State governments have been asked to step up efforts to stop any potential Covid spread as the Christmas and the New Year draw near. India has brought back random testing at airports for travellers from abroad.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Parliament on Thursday that India has begun a two percent random sampling of foreign visitors arriving in the country and may consider making it mandatory for all if necessary.
The action was taken in response to growing worries about the spread of Covid in China following the recent relaxation of stringent lockdown regulations. China’s hospitals and healthcare facilities are overflowing with patients.
According to one epidemiologist, over the course of the next few months, 60% of the population of the country could become infected.
India has seen a steady decrease in cases in the week ending December 19, the average number of infections per day fell to 158. India reported 185 new cases of Covid on Thursday along with one fatality. The number of open cases decreased to 3,402.
The new Omicron subvariant BF.7 is known to spread very fast and has a shorter incubation period.
PM Modi’s meeting comes a day after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the situation. In the meeting, Mandaviya asserted the need for continued surveillance. “Covid is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation,” the minister said.
The government has instructed states to ensure genome sequencing of all positive cases in the country. States have been asked to send Covid samples of all positive patients to labs runs by INSACOG, a forum under the Health Ministry that studies and monitors various strains of coronavirus.