The Minister directed the officials to continue to focus on surveillance and on whole genome sequencing to scan for any possible mutation. He also directed monitoring hospitalisations due to Covid-19….reports Asian Lite News
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday chaired a meeting with the key experts and officials in view of an upsurge of Covid-19 cases in some states.
The meeting discussed the analysis of trend of Covid cases, daily and active cases, positivity and deaths, testing status along with state-wise weekly tests per million, RT-PCR share in weekly tests, genome sequencing, and vaccination status in the meeting.
Mandaviya stressed on the need to focus on districts reporting high case positivity and undertake adequate testing with higher proportion of RT-PCR and effective Covid-19 surveillance to assess and control the spread of infection in a timely manner.
He directed the officials to continue to focus on surveillance and on whole genome sequencing to scan for any possible mutation. He also directed monitoring hospitalisations due to Covid-19.
“As there are adequate vaccine doses available, let there be no vaccine wastage while focusing on accelerating vaccination among the eligible and vulnerable groups,” he told officials while exhorting them to increase pace of vaccination, including booster doses, in districts reporting high cases.
Along with Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Praveen Pawar, and NITI Aayog’s Meamber, Health, Dr V.K. Paul, those present in the meeting included the government’s Principal Scientific Advisor, Dr Ajay K Sood, Department of Biotechnology Secretary, Dr Rajesh Gokhale, AYUSH Secretary, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Indian Council of Medical Research Director General, Dr Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director, Dr Randeep Guleria, NTAGI’s Covid Task Group, Dr N.K. Arora, NCDC Director, Dr Sujeet Singh, and senior Health Ministry officials.
Meanwhile, Delhi on Thursday reported an over two-fold rise in Covid cases in the last 24 hours, at 1,934 against 928 recorded on the previous day, but there was no fresh death, as per the government health bulletin.
Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate has jumped to 8.10% per cent, while the number of active cases has also slightly increased to 5,755.
With 1,233 patients recovering in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries has gone to 18,95,397. The number of patients being treated in home isolation has risen at 3,564.
With new Covid cases, the total caseload of the city has jumped to 19,27,394 while the death toll continue at 26,242.
The number of Covid containment zones in the city stands at 309.
A total of 23,879 new tests — 17,549 RT-PCR and 6,330 Rapid Antigen – were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 3,89,43,157 while 26,121 vaccines were administered – 1,890 first doses, 5,135 second doses, and 19,096 precaution doses.
The total number of cumulative beneficiaries vaccinated so far stands at 3,47,58,218, according to the health bulletin.
