Mansukh chairs COVID review meet, directs officials to stay prepared against new strains of virus

NEW DELHI: The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in India and the preparedness of the public health system for surveillance, containment and management of COVID-19 in view of the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 in some states. During the meeting, Mandaviya emphasised the importance of being alert and prepared against new and emerging strains of the COVID-19 virus.

"It is important to be alert and prepared against new and emerging strains of the COVID-19 virus," Mandaviya said. The Union Health Minister urged all the states to remain alert, increase surveillance and ensure an adequate stock of medicines, oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and vaccines.

Reiterating the need for joint efforts between the Centre and States to ensure efficient management of COVID-19, Mandaviya said, "Let us undertake mock drills once every three months at both the central and state levels and share best practices."

He also urged states to create awareness, manage the epidemic, and ensure the dissemination of factually correct information. The Union Health Minister urged States and UTs to share information on cases, tests, positivity, etc., in real-time on the COVID portal to enable timely review and prompt public health measures. He assured the states of all support from the Centre.

States to monitor emerging evidence of, symptoms and case severity to plan an appropriate public health response, Mandaviya said. Further, he advised the States and UTs to send samples of all COVID-19-positive cases to INSACOG labs to facilitate the tracking of new variants. JN.1 is playing a major role in the upsurge, it causes mild disease and this variant is prevalent in 36-40 countries, it causes mild cough, 16 deaths in the last two weeks have been reported, all in those who come under comorbidities; 92 per cent cases are in home, JN.1 confirmed in Kerala; and from other states, a total 21 cases from Goa, etc.

The total number of COVID cases reported nationwide till 8 am on Wednesday was 341, of which Kerala alone accounted for 292, Delhi and Gujarat reported 3 each, Karnataka logged 9 cases, Telangana and Puducherry 4 each, Tamil Nadu 13 and Maharashtra 11, according to data by the Union Health Ministry.

The total number of active COVID cases in the country is currently at 2,311, with the total number of fatalities reported since the arrival of the pandemic in India at 5,33,321, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.