(A compilation of several reports)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the situation related to COVID-19 in the country at a high-level meeting Thursday afternoon, officials said.
The meeting comes a day after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the situation and asked people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, including wearing masks in crowded places, and getting vaccinated.
Official sources have said random sample testing will be done at airports for international passengers arriving from China and other countries.
The Union health ministry had on Tuesday sent a missive to state governments asking them to gear up for any possible future surge and to send for genome sequencing all positive case samples for tracking the variants.
Accordingly, several states have stepped up the measures to detect and prevent the spread of the virus.
Maharashtra
The state health department has asked all the district administrations and municipal corporations to increase COVID-19 tests.
While the fatality rate and hospitalisation are going down in Maharashtra, COVID-19 cases are witnessing a surge in some countries, an official release said on Wednesday.
In view of this, it said, health minister Tanaji Sawant directed all the districts to follow a five-point programme – test, track, treat, vaccinate and (ensure) COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.
Sawant on Wednesday held a meeting with health department officials of all the districts and municipal corporations. It was also attended by principal secretary, health, Sanjay Khandare and health services director Dr Sadhana Tayde.
While asking all the district administrations and municipal corporations to increase COVID-19 tests, especially RT-PCR tests, Sawant also directed them to send every RT-PCR affected (having CT value less than 30) swab sample for genome sequencing, for which seven laboratories are available in the state.
The minister also directed them to appoint a nodal officer for genome sequencing.
West Bengal
WChief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concern over the surge in COVID-19 cases in China, and advised health officials to form a committee of experts to keep an eye on the emerging situation.
Banerjee, during a meeting at the state secretariat on Wednesday, enquired why one of the reporters was wearing masks, which has become a rarity in the state, and cabinet minister Arup Biswas subsequently informed her that cases were on the rise in China.
“Is there a new variant of coronavirus in China? But they (China) have not imposed anything (restriction). I will ask the health department to keep a tab on the situation,” she said.
Turning to Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, she said, “Set up a team of experts to monitor the situation. The health secretary will be leading the team. Genome sequencing should continue.”
Earlier, state health officials said that West Bengal was ready to tackle a fresh spurt in COVID-19 infections.
Sample examination was being done regularly in the state to keep a tab on the evolving situation, said doctor Siddhartha Niyogi, the director of the state’s health services.
“Things are under control here but we will exercise caution,” the senior official told PTI.
“We have been conducting COVID-19 tests regularly. The state has an adequate number of doctors and para-medics, sufficient masks, oxygen cylinders and an ample number of beds in different hospitals and medical colleges to handle the surge, if any,” the official said.
West Bengal, he said, was testing 4,000 samples every day on average and the recovery rate was 98.98 per cent.
“We have combated three COVID-19 waves successfully and are confident of doing the same again, if necessary,” Niyogi added.
Odisha
The state government asked the district administrations to strengthen surveillance and take measures for whole genome sequencing of COVID-positive samples after Omicron subvariant BF.7 was detected in the state.
In a letter to the district collectors and medical colleges on Wednesday, state health department secretary Shalini Pandit said surveillance and whole genome sequencing (WSG) for COVID-19 management were needed in view of a surge in coronavirus cases in China, Japan, the US, Korea and Brazil.
“In view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in certain counties, it is essential to gear up the disease surveillance and WSG of positive case samples to track the variant through Indian SARS CoV-2 Genomic Consortium (INSACOG) network,” she said.
The strategy of testing, tracking, treating, contact tracing, vaccination and COVID-19 appropriate behaviour needs to be flowed scrupulously to enable “timely detection of newer variant”, she added.
The ICMR’s Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar conducted the genome sequencing of the sample, she said, adding that during the testing, it was found that the “sample was neither a variant of concern (VOC) nor a variant of interest”.
“No other sample of Omicron BF.7 subvariant was detected in Odisha in the last three months,” she said.
The woman, who tested positive for Omicron BF.7, was asymptomatic at the time of the test, the official said.
She underwent the COVID test before her travel to the US.
“She and her family have been staying in the US since October. None of them has any flu-like symptoms since their departure from India,” the official said.
Odisha’s Director of Health Services Bijay Mohapatra said the state has all the required facilities to deal with any situation.
Kerala
The state government on Wednesday sounded an alert of a possible spread of the virus and directed the district authorities to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive case samples for tracking the new variants.
A meeting of the Rapid Response Team chaired by state Health Minister Veena George also urged people to wear face masks to cover their mouth and nose as it is a key measure to reduce transmission of virus and save lives.
“Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. All unvaccinated individuals should be vaccinated and those who have not taken the backup dose should do that. Thorough medical examination of people with symptoms should be done and genome sequencing will be strengthened to monitor new variants,” the minister’s office said in a statement.
The meeting also decided to strengthen the awareness activities and directed the health officials to monitor the hospital admissions regularly.
The officials have also been directed to increase the facilities in the hospitals for treating Covid patients.
The statement said only 1,431 COVID-19 cases were reported in the state so far in December and there are very few patients under treatment in hospitals.
It, however, warned that the people should be more careful as the transmissible rate of the new variant is very high.
Earlier, addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government has decided to intensify measures to prevent the spread of the virus in the southern state.
Vijayan urged people to take steps to protect themselves from getting infected by the virus, although COVID-19 cases are less in the state.
The Chief Minister also reminded the public that the lessons learned during the peak period of COVID-19 cases in the state should be followed to deal with the virus.
Vijayan advised people not to ignore fever, cold and sore throat, and not to be in close contact with people who have symptoms of COVID-19.
Uttakhand
The state government is preparing to issue a fresh standard operating procedure on COVID-19 based on the Centre’s guidelines following a sudden spurt in cases in the US, Japan, Korea, Brazil and China, Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said on Wednesday.
“Though the Covid situation in the state is well within control, we are taking all precautions. We will issue a fresh Covid SOP (standard operating procedure) immediately after receiving the guidelines from the Centre,” Rawat said.
Delhi
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will convene an emergency meeting on Thursday amid a sudden spurt in Covid cases in several countries, officials said.
The Delhi government is keeping a watch on the COVID-19 situation and the chief minister has directed the health department to ensure genome sequencing of samples and take other steps needed to meet any eventuality, they said.
“Delhi government is alert. CM Kejriwal has called an emergency meeting regarding coronavirus tomorrow,” an official said on Wednesday.
Assam
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said there is no need for people of Assam to panic over rising number of Covid cases in China, as there are no positive cases in the state at present.
“India’s vaccines and those of other nations are much better, but China’s vaccines are much weaker, which has led to an outbreak in that country,” he said on the sidelines of a programme in Guwahati.
In India, it is doubtful if there will be a major problem, but “we are sure that the central government will definitely keep a strict watch on the situation,” Sarma said.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a Covid review meeting with experts and senior officials stressing the need for continued surveillance, even though there is no overall increase in the caseload as of now.
“Covid is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh
The government Wednesday directed officials to ensure Covid protocols are followed at night shelters for the homeless, a day after the Centre asked states to ramp up genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of newer variants.
According to a statement, the state government’s guidelines stated that Covid protocol, such as maintaining social distancing, must be adhered to at the night shelters.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had recently instructed officials to make proper arrangements at night shelters in view of the biting cold in the state.
Director of Uttar Pradesh Local Bodies Directorate Neha Sharma said directives have been issued to municipal commissioners and executive officers on a priority basis.
They have been directed to regularly update details of night shelters on the Google link of the directorate so that monitoring of arrangements at all the night shelters can be done, she said.
The facilities at the night shelters should be of good quality and arrangements for cleanliness, pure drinking water and lighting should be made.
Directives have also been issued for the distribution of blankets among the poor, Sharma said.
