Centre to hold review meet with States, UTs on Covid surge

NEW DELHI: Amid a nationwide upward trend in the Covid cases, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a review meet with the health ministers of all states and Union Territories on Friday afternoon, sources said.

On Wednesday, Covid empowerment working group also conducted a review routine meeting. Dr V K Paul, Dr Rajiv Bahl, DG, ICMR and other senior health officials attended this meeting.

According to the sources, this was a review meeting to know the COVID situation and preparedness in the country. The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) also attend the meeting. We need to remain alert but there is no need to worry. Currently, the sub-variant of Omicron which is circulating in the country hasn't increased hospitalisation," Mandaviya said on Covid19 situation in the country.

India on Thursday recorded 5,335 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours with daily positivity rate (3.32 per cent and weekly positivity rate (2.89 per cent), nearly 20 per cent higher cases then yesterday recorded according to the Union Health Ministry data updated at 8 am. It is the highest single-day rise in the last nearly six months, the ministry said in its updated data on Thursday.

The Covid cases in India have seen an upward trend in the past few days with the daily fresh infections ranging between 2,994 on April 1 to 3,824 on April 2 and 3,641 on April 3 and 3038 on April 4 and 4,435 on April 5.

India's active Covid caseload currently stands at 25,587 with a daily positivity rate of 3.32 per cent, the ministry said.

With 2,826 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries stands at 4,41,82, 538. India's recovery rate currently is at 98.75 per cent, it further stated.