India may see Covid surge in January, next 40 days crucial: Health Ministry

Even as India has not considered any ban on international flights yet despite several foreign returnees having been found to be infected with coronavirus, the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said that the next 40 days are going to be crucial for the country while urging people to follow all Covid-related guidelines.

The Health Ministry sources, however, said the severity of the infection is less. Even if there is a wave, deaths and hospitalisation will be very low, they said.

“Previously, it has been noticed that a new wave of Covid-19 hits India around 30-35 days after it hits East Asia…. This has been a trend,” an official said.

Amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in some countries, including China and South Korea, the government has sounded an alert and asked states and Union territories to prepare for any eventuality.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya have held meetings to assess the country’s preparedness to deal with a fresh surge in cases.

Experts are of the view that hybrid immunity has developed in India in the wake of high vaccination coverage, but urged caution. In this regard, foreign returnees infected with all sorts of Covid variants is still a matter of concern. Officials said that 39 international passengers were found positive for coronavirus infection out of the 6,000 tested on arrival in the last two days in India. The Air Suvidha portal is likely to be re-introduced for flyers coming in from Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore from next week, according to health ministry sources.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM