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Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya led a comprehensive meeting today, delving into India’s current COVID-19 scenario and the readiness of the public health infrastructure to manage and contain the recent surge in cases across several states. Accompanying him were Prof. S P Singh Baghel and Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare, along with key stakeholders including Dr. V K Paul from NITI Aayog and various State Ministers such as Shri Alo Libang, Shri Brajesh Pathak, Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, and others.
Highlighting the escalating COVID-19 situations in countries like China, Brazil, Germany, and the United States, Dr. Mandaviya emphasized the necessity of vigilance and readiness against new and emerging strains of the virus, particularly with the forthcoming festive season. He urged states to closely monitor evolving trends in COVID-19 cases, symptoms, and severity to strategize an appropriate public health response.
Dr. Mandaviya stressed the imperative of unified efforts between the Centre and States, emphasizing a “Whole of Government” approach to tackle the emerging challenges effectively. He directed the reinforcement of surveillance systems for the whole-genome sequencing of positive cases through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network, enabling the timely detection of newer variants within the country.
The Union Health Minister urged states to heighten surveillance, ensure adequate medical supplies, including medicines, oxygen cylinders, concentrators, ventilators, and vaccines. Regular mock drills at both central and state levels were encouraged to evaluate the functionality of essential medical equipment, with an emphasis on sharing best practices.
Shri Sudhansh Pant, Secretary of the Union Health Ministry, presented insights on the global and domestic COVID-19 scenarios. While active cases in India remain comparatively low on the global scale, a recent surge has been observed, primarily with a rise in home-isolated cases and a slight increase in daily positivity rates in states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Karnataka.
Regarding the new JN.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2, officials highlighted its ongoing scientific scrutiny but reassured that it is not an immediate cause for concern. No significant clusters of cases due to JN.1 have been reported in India, and all identified cases have exhibited mild symptoms, recovering without complications.
Dr. V K Paul emphasized the necessity for a collaborative approach to address the surge and the emergence of new variants. He stressed the scientific community’s scrutiny of the new variant while urging states to enhance testing and bolster surveillance systems.
Dr. Rajiv Bahl from the Department of Health Research and DG, ICMR, assured ongoing genome sequencing of the JN.1 variant, urging states to continue monitoring the situation while quelling any undue panic.
State Health Ministers expressed gratitude for the support and guidance from the Centre, pledging to escalate testing and surveillance measures in response to the rising cases across certain states. The meeting, attended by senior officials from various health institutions, aimed to fortify India’s preparedness against the evolving COVID-19 landscape.
