NEW DELHI: As Covid-19 cases surge in all state, the central government is taking strict measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a review meeting with state health ministers on Friday, where he asked them to be vigilant and increase testing and infrastructure preparedness. He also emphasized the need to speed up vaccination and genome sequencing.
To test the preparedness related to Covid-19 management, Mandaviya has asked states to conduct mock drills at all health centers on 10 and 11 April. The health ministers of the states have also been requested to review preparations with district administration and public health officials on 8 and 9 April, as per statement.
देश में कोविड-19 की स्थिति को लेकर राज्यों एवं UTs के स्वास्थ्य मंत्रियों के साथ समीक्षा बैठक की। इस दौरान कोविड टेस्टिंग एवं जीनोम सीक्वेंसिंग के साथ कोविड नियमों के पालन का प्रसार बढ़ाने पर बात हुई।
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) April 7, 2023
हमें सतर्क रहना है और अनावश्यक भय नहीं फैलाना है। pic.twitter.com/vSmOV9qr80
The central government has warned that eight states in India are reporting more cases of Covid-19, with Kerala, Maharashtra, and Delhi reporting an infection rate of 10% or more in ten or more districts. Additionally, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana have recorded an infection rate of more than 5% in more than five districts, it added.
Mandaviya stressed the importance of scaling up public awareness campaigns regarding adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour. Despite the emergence of new variants, the time-tested strategy of ‘test, trace, treat, vaccinate,’ and following Covid-appropriate behaviour remains the key to Covid-19 management.
The Union Health Minister has advised states and union territories to accelerate vaccination of all eligible population groups, especially the elderly and vulnerable population. The central government and states need to continue working in a spirit of cooperation, as was done during the prevention and management of Covid-19.
It was also noted that 8 states in India are reporting more cases of Covid, with ten or more districts in Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi reporting 10 per cent infection rate and Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, More than five districts in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Haryana have recorded an infection rate of more than five percent. Mandaviya stressed the importance of scaling up public awareness campaigns regarding adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour. He requested all the State Health Ministers to personally monitor and review the preparedness of all infrastructure.