Union Health Minister Mandaviya chairs review meeting with states, UTs amid Covid-19 surge

New Delhi [India], April 7 (ANI): Amid a nationwide upward trend in the COVID cases, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday chaired a review meeting with health ministers of all states and Union Territories through video conferencing.

Earlier in the day, before attending the meeting Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar said the Centre has been regularly issuing guidelines to the states and Union Territories amid a nationwide upward spiral in the Covid-19 cases. Speaking to ANI, Pawar said, “The Centre has been issuing guidelines to states and UTs regularly in view of the spike in Covid cases. PM Modi also held a review meeting with all states and UTs to assess their Covid preparedness.”

India today recorded 6,050 new cases in 24 hours while the active case tally stood at 28,303 on Friday.

The COVID-19 cases in India have seen an upward trend in the past few days with the daily fresh infections ranging between 2,994 on April 1 to 3,824 on April 2 and 3,641 on April 3 and 3038 on April 4 and 4,435 on April 5. On Wednesday, the Covid Empowerment Working Group also conducted a review meeting featuring Dr Rajiv Bahl, DG, ICMR and other senior health officials.

The objective of the review meeting was to take stock of the prevailing Covid situation in the country and assess the preparedness of healthcare facilities to deal with the spike in cases.

The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) also attended the meeting.

“We need to remain alert but there is no need to worry. Currently, the sub-variant of Omicron, which is circulating in the country, hasn’t led to an increase in the rate of hospitalisation,” Mandaviya said earlier on the Covid-19 situation in the country.