Amid spurt in Covid cases in China, India has issued advisory to states and union territories while urging people to use facemasks in public places. The Union Health Ministry also decided to hold weekly meetings to monitor the situation.
The Indian Medical Association on Thursday appealed to the public to follow Covid-related guidelines incuding physical distance and use of facemask, with immediate effect. In its advisory, the country’s top doctors’ body listed necessary steps to overcome the “impending Covid outbreak”. The steps include wearing face masks in all public places, maintaining social distancing, regular hand washing with soap and water or sanitizers.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in the parliament that the government is keeping an eye on rising Covid cases in the country, and listed measures to contain the spread of the virus. Mandaviya informed the House that all states have been asked to do genome sequencing, and random sampling of international flyers has also started from today.
The IMA has advised avoiding public gatherings like marriages, political or social meetings, and international travel. It further appealed to get complete their vaccination scheduled. Notably, only 27 per cent eligible population got precautionary doses.
As per the available reports, nearly 5.37 lakhs new cases have been reported in last 24 hours from major countries like the USA, Japan, South Korea, France, and Brazil. India has reported 145 new cases in last 24 hours, out of which four cases are the new China variant – BF.7.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhuhsan already sent a notice to all states and union territories to ramp up genome sequencing as the sudden surge in Covid cases in countries like Japan, United States of America, Republic of Korea, Brazil and China pose a threat of looming fourth wave of Covid pandemic.
Sources say the Centre might also issue an advisory to all states after today’s high-level Covid review meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reported NDTV. States may be asked not to allow overcrowding while celebrating New Year.
Opposition parties demanded the government to immediately stop all international flights from China, but the government has not issues any advisory in this regard. “We don’t have any direct flights from China to India or from India to China but as of now, there is no such order issued to stop connecting flights to India which are arriving via China. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is an executing ministry, the final decision will come from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW),” government sources told ANI.
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