India steps up efforts to manage Covid-19 situation, asks states to maintain oxygen supply

In a bid to ensure the availability of medical oxygen to those in need during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Health Ministry on Saturday wrote to all states/UTs asking them to prepare for any challenges arising in the future and maintaining medical infrastructure.

"Though the Covid cases in the country are low and not surging as of now, but to face any challenges arising in the future, the operationalization and maintenance of this medical infrastructure are of utmost importance," the letter read.

The concerned departments have been asked to ensure the availability of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in the health facilities and an uninterrupted supply chain for their refilling.


States/UTs have also been asked to ensure maintenance of adequate inventory of oxygen cylinders along with backup stocks and refilling system.



Alongside, states/UTs have also been asked to ensure the availability of functional life support equipment like ventilators, BiPAP and SpO2 systems along with their consumables.

"I am confident that with timely preparation and responsiveness, we will be able to meet the challenges associated with Covid-19, if any, that arise in the future," Dr Manohar Agnani, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) wrote in the letter.

Earlier on Saturday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that RT-PCR test has been made mandatory for passengers coming from five countries including China.

"The RT-PCR test to be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. On arrival, if any passenger from these countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for Covid-19 infection, then he/she will be put under quarantine," Health Minister Mandaviya said in a conversation with ANI.

He also said that the Air Suvidha form filling to declare the current health status will also be made compulsory for international passengers arriving from these Asian countries.

Taking note of the rising cases of COVID globally, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said that the Centre and States need to work in "tandem" and in a "collaborative spirit" as was done during the previous surges.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Saturday morning informed that in the past 24 hours, India recorded 201 new COVID-19 infections.

The country's active caseload currently stands at 3,397 which accounts for 0.01 per cent of the total cases.

The recovery rate currently is at 98.8 per cent. As many as 183 recoveries were made in the last 24 hours, thereby taking the total recoveries to 4,41,42,791.

The daily positivity rate stood at 0.15 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate stood at 0.14 per cent.

Mandaviya told parliament on Thursday that the government has started random RT-PCR sampling among the passengers arriving at international airports in the country amid the recent surge of coronavirus infection in various countries including China, Japan, South Korea, France, and the United States.

(With agency inputs)