Covid-19 outbreak: PM Modi cautions against complacency, advises for maintaining strict Vigil

Delhi logged 10 COVID-19 cases with an increased positivity rate of 0.41 per cent and one fatality on Thursday, according to data shared by the Health department. Delhi had logged five cases with a positivity rate of 0.19 per cent and one fatality on Wednesday. With the fresh cases, the national capital's COVID-19 case tally has risen to 2,007,112 while the death toll rose to 26,521.

Amid fresh concerns over COVID-19, Telangana Health Minister T Harish Rao on Thursday directed officials to ensure preparedness with regard to availability of medicines, oxygen, ICU beds and others to deal with any rise in cases in the State. Rao, who held a meeting with the health officials, instructed that the samples of positive cases be sent to the State-run Gandhi Hospital in the city for genome sequencing in line with the Centre's guidelines, and to conduct screening at the airport, an official release said. The Minister, who appealed to the citizens not to panic about the virus but to be alert, said the government is prepared to deal with the situation.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today chaired a high-level meeting to assess the Covid-19 situation in the country, the preparedness of health infrastructure and logistics, the status of the vaccination campaign in the country and the emergence of new Covid-19 variants and their public health implications for the country. Prime Minister cautioned against complacency and advised strict vigil. He reiterated that Covid is not over yet and directed officials to strengthen the ongoing surveillance measures, especially at international airports.

Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar said an advisory will be issued making masks mandatory at indoor, closed & air-conditioned places. "Union government guidelines will be followed for random testing and screening passengers arriving from abroad at international airports," he added. 

The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday said it is ready to handle any eventuality in view of the sudden spurt of Covid cases in certain countries, as the State has sufficient manpower, beds, drugs and oxygen. An official release said during the last 50 days, over 30,000 samples were tested resulting in 130 positive cases while there are some cases of a new sub- variant of omicron – XBB - which has similar features of omicron.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the national capital does not have a single case of BF.7 variant and that his government is doing genome sequencing. He also said that currently, cases of the XBB variant are being reported in Delhi. "Covid cases are rising in China and several other countries. It has BF.7 variant. We don't have a single case of that variant in Delhi. So there's no need to worry. We are doing genome sequencing," he added. 

Covid cases are rising in China and several other countries. It has BF.7 variant. We don't have a single case of that variant in Delhi. So there's no need to worry. We are doing genome sequencing. Currently, XBB variant cases are coming in Delhi. We have 8,000 beds for Covid in Delhi. Now, we aim to prepare 36,000 beds pertaining to Covid. We have a storage capacity of 928 mt tonne oxygen in Delhi, says CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Amid the spurt of cases of Covid-19, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi also issued new guidelines for its staff members. 

These are the following guidelines: 

• Wearing of masks by all
• Proper hand hygiene measures
• Social distancing
• Motivation of Public

In the wake of the increase in the global cases of Covid-19 in China and several other countries, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi issued fresh guidelines, urging its staff members to follow Covid appropriate behaviour. 

There are the following guidelines:

(i) Use reusable./cloth face cover/surgical mask in the workplace.
(ii) Ensure proper cleaning and frequent unitization of the workplace, particularly of frequently touched surfaces.
(iii) Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief while sneezing and coughing.
(iv) Maintain personal hygiene and physical distancing.
(v) Stria disinfection protocols should be followed in the building/room as per guidelines.
(vi) Practice frequent hand washing with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub sanitisers.
(vii) Seating arrangements in sections/moms may be made to ensure adequate distance between officials in the room.
(viii) Gathering especially in canteens must be avoided.
(ix) Gathering of 5 or more persons at any place in the office should be avoided.
(x) Discourage. to the maximum extent. entry of visitors in the office complex. Only those visitors who have proper permission of the office. whom they want to meet, should be allowed after being properly screened.
(xi) All officials are advised to take care of their own health and look out for symptoms such as fever, respiratory problems and. if feeling unwell. should leave the workplace. immediately after informing their reporting officers. Such employees should observe home quarantine with the advice of the doctor and should get tested for COVID.
(xii) All employees who are at higher risk i.e. older employees. pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions should take extra precautions. 

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today said states have been asked to focus on heightened surveillance within the community, undertake requisite control and containment measures, and ensure coverage of precaution doses for COVID-19 vaccination, amid a spurt of coronavirus cases in some parts of the world. In a statement in both houses of Parliament, Mandaviya said two per cent random sampling of international travellers arriving at airports has already started from Thursday to minimise ingress of any new variant in the country.

Amid the growing threat of the latest Omicron variant, the Union health ministry is mulling to reintroduce the mandatory 'air suvidha' forms with details of RT-PCR tests conducted 72 hours prior to travel or complete vaccination proof for passengers travelling from China and other nations seeing COVID surge.

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Dr Suresh, MD of LNJP Hospital in Delhi, said the city has not reported any cases of the BF.7 variant of Omicron so far. "We are fully prepared & vigilant. The Centre has instructed to conduct genome sequencing of every case...We have COVID 450 beds, 50 ICU beds & other facilities," he added. 

Responding to the Union Health Minister's letter pertaining to Covid protocols in Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government is trying to stop his yatra. "It's their (BJP) new idea, they wrote a letter to me saying COVID is coming & stop the Yatra. All these are excuses to stop this Yatra, they are scared of India's truth," he added. 

"We have also started the random RT-PCR sampling among passengers arriving at International airports in the country. We are committed to tackling the pandemic and are taking appropriate steps," said Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Lok Sabha.

"From the last few days, Covid cases have been rising in the world but in India, cases are depleting. We are seeing rising Covid cases & deaths due to it in China," said Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Lok Sabha.

PM Modi with wearing a mask reached Rajya Sabha to participate in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

"We just have nine active cases of Covid. 16 districts do not have any positive cases of Covid so far. We have established oxygen plants and have prepared hospitals as well accordingly. There's no need to worry," Punjab Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra said.

Amid fresh concerns over coronavirus, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday advised parliamentarians to wear a mask and spread awareness about Covid-appropriate behaviour. Birla came to the House wearing a mask himself and said Covid cases are once again on the rise in certain countries.

Conforming to the Centre's advisory, random Covid tests will be conducted at airports, railway stations and bus stands of Bihar, state health officials said on Thursday.

India recorded 185 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours. According to the data shared by the Union Health Ministry today (December 22), the total recovery rate reached at around 98.80 per cent and total recoveries data reached to 4,41,42,432.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the situation related to COVID-19 pandemic and related aspects in the country at a high-level meeting today.

"Rise of Covid cases in other countries including China maybe due to poor vaccination, not having good quality vaccine, or being very restrictive. Right now, things are under control in India. But we must be cautious," Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean of Mumbai JJ Hospital & Health Expert

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. Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, China and the US, the central government had on Tuesday urged all states and Union territories to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of emerging variants.

China only counts deaths from pneumonia or respiratory failure in its official COVID-19 death toll, a Chinese health official said, a narrow definition that limits the number of deaths being reported as the virus surges following the easing of pandemic-related restrictions. Deaths that occur in patients with pre-existing illnesses are not counted as COVID-19 deaths, said Wang Guiqiang, the head of infectious disease at Peking University's No. 1 Hospital. China has always been conservative in how it counts illnesses, whether the flu or COVID-19. In most countries, including the United States, guidelines stipulate that any death in which COVID-19 is a factor or contributor is counted as a COVID-19-related death.

Maharashtra's state surveillance officer on Wednesday said all swab samples testing positive for COVID-19 will be sent for genome sequencing to track any new variant and maintained there was no need to panic in view of the current surge in cases in China, said to be driven by a new strain of Omicron. State surveillance officer Dr Pradip Awate's statement came a day after the Centre asked states to step up genome sequencing of positive swab samples amid a spurt in coronavirus cases in the US, China and some other countries.

The Uttarakhand 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. The sudden spurt in positive cases in these countries has caused concern among Indian authorities. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has sent a circular to all states and Union Territories, emphasising on whole genome sequencing of positive cases to understand the virus' new variants.

The head of the World Health Organisation said the agency is “very concerned” about rising reports of severe coronavirus disease across China after the country largely abandoned its “zero COVID” policy, warning that its lagging vaccination rate could result in large numbers of vulnerable people getting infected. At a press briefing on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN agency needs more information on COVID-19 severity in China, particularly regarding hospital and intensive care unit admissions, “in order to make a comprehensive risk assessment of the situation on the ground. ” “WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China with increasing reports of severe disease,” Tedros said. He added that while COVID deaths have dropped more than 90% since their global peak, there were still too many uncertainties about the virus to conclude that the pandemic is over. Some scientists have warned that the unchecked spread of COVID-19 in China could spur the emergence of new variants, which might unravel progress made globally to contain the pandemic.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise in many foreign countries, the Kerala 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.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday 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, enquired why one of the reporters was wearing masks, which has become a rarity in Bengal, and cabinet minister Arup Biswas subsequently informed her that cases were on the rise in China.

"Covid is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation," said Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday 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 Covid caseload as of now.