Centre has advised people to wear masks in crowded places. (File)
The Health Ministry today directed states and union territories to ramp up surveillance amid a rise in Covid cases worldwide. A surge of new Covid cases in China has spurred concern that a dangerous new variant could emerge.
Here are 10 points from the Centre's new advisory on Covid:
- Asserting that Covid is not over, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today asked states to strengthen surveillance and be prepared for new and emerging strains of Covid.
- "COVID is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation," said Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya after a meeting with experts and top officials this morning.
- Mr Mandaviya has asked for genome sequencing of positive case samples to track the variants.
- States and Union Territories have been requested to send samples of all positive cases to INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) daily. INSACOG is a forum under the Health Ministry to study and monitor various strains of Covid in India, which is mapped with all states and Union Territories.
- Random sample testing will be conducted at airports for international passengers arriving from China and other countries.
- The Centre has said while there is no cause for panic, it has advised people to wear masks in crowded areas.
- The government has said that it will monitor the Covid situation every week.
- A nationwide network of sentinel facilities to monitor influenza-like-illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) will be set up.
- Community-based surveillance will be conducted regularly. This will focus on the early detection of unusual events in the community, such as large outbreaks, an unusual presentation of cases, mortality, etc.
- The district-level rapid response teams (RRT) will assess the unusual events, and, if required outbreak investigations will be undertaken.
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