Covid cases rising, Centre asks states to identify emergency hotspots, ramp up testing

With India recording over 6,000 Covid-19 cases on Friday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired

A high-level meeting with health ministers of states and Union Territories to review the public health preparedness and the status of Covid-19 vaccination. He directed states to identify emergency hotspots, ramp up testing, and ensure hospital infrastructure readiness.

Mandaviya underscored the need for the Centre and the states to work in collaboration as was done during the previous waves of Covid-19 to keep infection under control.

He also directed health officials to follow a five-fold strategy of test, track, treat, vaccinate and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour for Covid management.

The health minister asked states to ramp up testing and genome sequencing, identify emergency hotspots, increase vaccination and ensure hospitals are equipped with the necessary infrastructure so that proper treatment is administered to Covid-19 patients and the medical facilities are ready lest there is a surge in cases.

The state health ministers have been asked to review preparedness for Covid-19 management with district administrations and public health officials on April 8 and 9.

States have been asked to conduct mock drills across all health facilities on April 10 and 11. Mandaviya directed the state health ministers to visit the hospitals and review the drills.

India on Friday reported 14 fatalities and 6,050 new Covid-19 cases–a spike of 13% of the Covid cases reported on Thursday–showed data available with the health ministry.

The daily positivity rate is pegged at 3.39 per cent while the weekly positivity rate stands at 3.02 per cent, the ministry said.

Kerala has the highest number of Covid cases in the country with 9,422 active cases.