Centre calls for mock drills as COVID cases at 7-month high in India
This surge in cases is due to the Covid sub-variant JN.1, which was first detected in Kerala.
- Dec 20, 2023,
- Updated Dec 20, 2023 2:12 PM IST
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, on Wednesday, December 20, said that mock drills will be done once every three months at both Central and State levels as India saw a spike in COVID-19 cases, with 614 fresh infections recorded in the past 24 hours. This surge in cases is due to the Covid sub-variant JN.1, which was first detected in Kerala.
According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday, this is the highest number of cases recorded since May 21. The death toll was recorded at 5,33,321, with three deaths reported from Kerala in 24 hours, the data showed at 8 am. With this, India’s Covid case tally stood at 4.50 crore.
Health Ministry chairs a high-level meeting:
A high-level meeting chaired by Mandaviya was conducted today to review the COVID-19 situation in India and how prepared the country’s public health system is for surveillance, containment and management of COVID-19 given the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 in some states.
He was joined by S P Singh Baghel and Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog. The Union Health Minister emphasised the importance of being prepared and remaining alert against new and emerging strains of COVID-19, especially in view of the upcoming festive season.
Underlying and reiterating that COVID is not over yet, he requested states to monitor emerging evidence of COVID-19 cases, symptoms and case severity to plan appropriate public health response. Mandaviya also stressed the need for collective efforts between the Centre and the States to deal with the emerging situation in the spirit of the “whole of government” approach.
The Union Health Minister urged all the states to stay alert, increase surveillance and ensure adequate stock of medicines, oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and vaccines. He asked officials to undertake mock drills every three months at both the Central and State levels to assess the functionality of PSA plants, oxygen concentrators and cylinders, ventilators, etc.
In addition, the Union Health Minister urged States/UTs to share information on cases, tests, and positivity rates on a real-time basis on the COVID portal to enable timely monitoring and prompt public health measures.
Also Read: WHO classifies JN.1 as 'variant of interest' as Covid cases surge
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, on Wednesday, December 20, said that mock drills will be done once every three months at both Central and State levels as India saw a spike in COVID-19 cases, with 614 fresh infections recorded in the past 24 hours. This surge in cases is due to the Covid sub-variant JN.1, which was first detected in Kerala.
According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday, this is the highest number of cases recorded since May 21. The death toll was recorded at 5,33,321, with three deaths reported from Kerala in 24 hours, the data showed at 8 am. With this, India’s Covid case tally stood at 4.50 crore.
Health Ministry chairs a high-level meeting:
A high-level meeting chaired by Mandaviya was conducted today to review the COVID-19 situation in India and how prepared the country’s public health system is for surveillance, containment and management of COVID-19 given the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 in some states.
He was joined by S P Singh Baghel and Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog. The Union Health Minister emphasised the importance of being prepared and remaining alert against new and emerging strains of COVID-19, especially in view of the upcoming festive season.
Underlying and reiterating that COVID is not over yet, he requested states to monitor emerging evidence of COVID-19 cases, symptoms and case severity to plan appropriate public health response. Mandaviya also stressed the need for collective efforts between the Centre and the States to deal with the emerging situation in the spirit of the “whole of government” approach.
The Union Health Minister urged all the states to stay alert, increase surveillance and ensure adequate stock of medicines, oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and vaccines. He asked officials to undertake mock drills every three months at both the Central and State levels to assess the functionality of PSA plants, oxygen concentrators and cylinders, ventilators, etc.
In addition, the Union Health Minister urged States/UTs to share information on cases, tests, and positivity rates on a real-time basis on the COVID portal to enable timely monitoring and prompt public health measures.
Also Read: WHO classifies JN.1 as 'variant of interest' as Covid cases surge