Centre calls for stepping up of vaccine drive amid threat of new variants

New Delhi: All hospitals and labs designated as sentinel sites from where random samples are picked up periodically to assess the Covid trend in the country have been directed by the Union health ministry to step up surveillance, reports Durgesh Nandan Jha. They have also been asked to conduct whole genome sequencing in significant numbers to scan for any possible mutation. The direction comes in the wake of the emergence of new Omicron variants in some countries that has led to a steep rise in cases of the viral infection.

In India also, states like Maharashtra and Kerala have reported new Omicron variants, including BQ.1 and XBB that have led to a rise in cases in the US & Singapore.

In a Covid review meeting held on Tuesday, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya stressed the need to undertake adequate testing - with higher proportion of RT-PCR - effective Covid-19 surveillance to assess and control the spread of infection in a timely manner. He also urged officials to closely monitor hospitalisations due to Covid-19, the health ministry said in a statement.

With festival season round the corner, there has been an increase in crowding in public places, especially the markets and malls. Few people are seen wearing a mask or maintaining distance though because the common perception is that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. In the review meeting that was attended by by top officials, including health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director general Rajiv Bahl and NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul, Mandaviya said there was a need for community awareness for continued implementation of the Covid appropriate behaviour (CAB). He also exhorted them to increase the pace of vaccination, including precautionary doses to the eligible beneficiaries.

Lav Agarwal, additional secretary in the health ministry, made a detailed presentation on the global scenario of surge in Covid-19 cases, primarily in Europe and an analysis of various Omicron variants in the world.

The presentation included a detailed analysis of Covid-19 situation in the country with trend of Covid-19 cases; daily cases being reported, active cases, case positivity and testing status along with state-wise weekly tests per million including share of RT-PCR in tests conducted, the health ministry said.