COVID scare in India: Amid rising cases of Covid-19 in the country, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday held a review meeting with health ministers of all states and Union Territories.
In the meeting with state health ministers and principal and additional chief secretaries held virtually, Mandaviya stressed on identifying emergency hotspots by monitoring trends of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, ramping up testing and vaccination and ensuring readiness of hospital infrastructure.
Along with enhancing genome sequencing and ramping up whole genome sequencing of positive samples, he also emphasised on creating awareness about following Covid-appropriate behaviour.
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The Centre and the states need to continue working in a collaborative spirit as was done during the previous surges for COVID-19 prevention and management, Mandaviya said.
Mock drills of all hospital infrastructure on April 10, 11
He also urged the state health ministers to conduct mock drills of all hospital infrastructure on April 10 and 11 and review the health preparedness with district administrations and health officials on April 8 and 9.
Earlier, on Wednesday (April 5), COVID empowerment working group also conducted a review routine meeting. Dr VK 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 Covid-19 situation in the country.
Last month on March 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting to review Covid-related situation and public health preparedness in view of the recent surge in coronavirus cases as well as influenza infections.
Five-fold strategy
PM Modi advised to continue to focus on a five-fold strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination and Covid appropriate behaviour, enhance lab surveillance and testing of all Severe Acute Respiratory Illness cases. He also said that mock drills should be conducted regularly to ensure that hospitals are ready for all exigencies.
PM Modi directed officials to enhance whole genome sequencing of positive samples with the designated INSACOG genome sequencing laboratories. "This will support tracking of newer variants, if any, and timely response," the PMO said.
COVID cases in India
India on Friday logged 6,050 fresh covid 19 cases, the highest in 203 days. In addition to this, the active cases have increased to 28,303, according to Union health ministry data updated on Friday. On September 16 last year, 6,298 cases were recorded.
The death toll has increased to 5,30,943 with 14 deaths new deaths in last 24 hours. The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 3.39 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 3.02 per cent, it said. The total tally of Covid cases stands at 4.47 crore (4,47,45,104).
The active cases now comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid recovery rate has been recorded at 98.75 per cent, according to the health ministry's website. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has increased to 4,41,85,858, while the case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.19 per cent, it said.
The COVID-19 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.
Uttar Pradesh reports first Covid death in 2023
Uttar Pradesh reported its first COVID-19 death this year, news agency IANS reported citing health officials. An elderly woman, who had tested positive for the virus on April 2, died during treatment on Thursday. She was a resident of Lucknow.
So far, the state capital Lucknow has reported 2,701 Covid deaths since the beginning oof the pandemic. In the state, 23,650 deaths have been reported till now.
The state also reported 192 new Covid cases on Thursday while 68 patients recovered in the state, including one in state capital Lucknow. At present, there are 842 active cases of coronavirus in the state.
Maharashtra COVID cases
Maharashtra on April 6 recorded 803 fresh coronavirus cases, a sharp jump of 234 from the tally a day ago, while three more patients succumbed to the infection in the state, the health department said.With these new additions, the state's overall COVID-19 tally rose to 81,47,673, while the death toll increased to 1,48,454, the department said in a bulletin. The state recorded 569 cases and two fatalities on Wednesday (April 5).
Fatality rate
Maharashtra's coronavirus fatality rate stood at 1.82 per cent, while the recovery rate was 98.13 per cent. The bulletin said 687 patients recovered from the coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours, taking their cumulative count to 79,95,232 and leaving the state with 3,874 active cases. The health department said 11,385 new coronavirus tests were conducted in the state, pushing up their total tally to 8,66,75,772.
Delhi rising COVID cases
Delhi logged 606 fresh Covid cases- the highest since last August- on Thursday with a positivity rate of 16.98 per cent, according to data shared by the city government's Health department. The health bulletin said one more Covid-positive person died in the city. However, "Covid finding was incidental", it added.
The national capital recorded 620 cases on August 26. On Wednesday (April 5), the city logged a positivity rate of 26.54 per cent, the highest in nearly 15 months, with 509 people testing positive in a single day. In January last year, the positivity rate had touched the 30-per cent mark.
Delhi saw 521 cases on Tuesday (April 4) and one fatality. The positivity rate stood at 15.64 per cent. At present, the city's COVID-19 death toll stands at 26,534, according to the bulletin. With the fresh cases, Delhi's infection tally has risen to 20,12,670. The data showed that 3,569 Covid tests were conducted on Wednesday.
Delhi has witnessed a spurt in the number of fresh Covid infections over the last few days amid a sharp rise in H3N2 influenza cases in the country. The Delhi government is keeping an eye on the spurt in Covid cases in the national capital and is "prepared to face any eventuality", Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday.
