Mask up! Health minister holds review meet, seeks extra surveillance

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday reviewed the situation of Covid-19 in the country amid a sudden surge in cases in some parts of the world, and directed officials to strengthen surveillance and regularly monitor situation in states.

India has been witnessing a steady decline in pandemic cases with average daily cases falling to 158 in the week ending December 19, but a consistent spike in global numbers in the last six weeks, with daily average cases reaching 5.9 lakh in the week ended Monday, has prompted the government to take stock of the situation.

A new and highly transmissible BF.7 strain of the Omicron variant has been found to be behind a wider surge of Covid-19 infections in China, the health ministry said in a statement.


At the review meeting, Mandaviya also told officials to formulated campaigns to increase coverage of precaution doses. "Only 27-28% of people have taken the precaution dose against coronavirus infection; we appeal to others, especially senior citizens, to take precaution dose," VK Paul, member-health at Niti Aayog, told reporters after the meeting, even as urged the people not to panic.

"Use a mask if you are in a crowded space, indoors or outdoors. This is all the more important for people with comorbidities or are of higher age," he said.

The meeting that was attended by senior officials of the health ministry, Niti Aayog, and pharmaceuticals and Ayush departments.

Mandaviya sought to understand the prevailing situation in China and its probable impact on the country, officials said.

China is currently having an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 infections and there are signs that the healthcare system there is being overwhelmed, with reports of crematoriums running out of space. China is known to have a rigid classification for Covid-19 deaths and its official death count is very low.

Other countries including Japan, Hong Kong, Brazil, US and South Korea have also reported an increase in cases in recent weeks. "Covid-19 is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation," Mandaviya said in a tweet later.

Experts highlighted that there has been no overall increase in Covid-19 caseload in the country - the number of new cases in the country on Wednesday was 135, according to government data. But they said there is a need for continued surveillance to keep a track of existing and emerging variants, officials said.

"We have had a few cases of the Omicron subvariant BF.7 that is driving China's current surge of Covid cases, but there has not been an exceptional spike in cases anywhere. In fact, we are the lowest," said one of the officials who attended the meeting.