Centre sounds Covid alert: Need for caution, uptick likely in January

Covid-19 cases in the country continue to be low – 188 new cases were reported over the previous 24 hours – even as a global increase has been noted over the last six weeks.

The government re-introduced random sampling of international travellers December 24 onward, with nearly 6,000 passengers tested over the last three days. Of these, 39 were found to be positive, according to officials. The government, however, isn’t looking to ban travel or enforce any mask mandate.

“There is a need to be cautious and be prepared, but there is no need to stop travel from any country. Implementation of Air Suvidha (the online portal of the government where travellers have to submit travel details and a negative RT-PCR test conducted at the boarding port within 72 hours of travel) is being considered from six countries – China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong – next week onward… Masks will also not be made mandatory, but we will urge people to wear it rather than fine them,” a senior official said.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has also isolated the Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which is reportedly behind the surge in China, and will test the efficacy of the vaccines against it. Similar exercises carried out against other Covid-19 variants have found the vaccines to be effective.

Keeping the global increase in Covid-19 cases in mind, the Prime Minister conducted a review meeting last week on the Covid situation in the country. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya too met with senior officials and state Health officials last week and a spate of guidelines were issued, including re-starting random sampling of 2% international travellers coming into the country.

On Tuesday, a country-wide mock drill was conducted to check the preparedness of health facilities for Covid-19 management. Over 20,000 health facilities from across the country participated in the drill.

According to information provided by officials after the mock drill, there are 2.79 lakh isolation beds, 2.45 lakh oxygen support beds, 64,711 ICU beds, and 49,236 ICU beds with ventilators functional across the country. There are 11,830 functional PSA plants as well, according to Ministry data.

“The mock drill helped us map the availability of facilities, consumables and healthcare workers. If need be, these numbers can be increased. But it is unlikely that there will be a need for more,” an official said.