COVID-19: States asked to remain alert, create awareness about masks, sanitisers, says Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on December 22 has cautioned citizens amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in several countries, including China and has said the government was keeping an eye on the situation.

In view of the festival season ahead, states had been asked to be alert and create awareness about masks as well as sanitisers, the minister told the Lok Sabha.

In the last few days, cases had been rising in the world but in India, they were depleting, the minister said in Parliament, which is meeting for the winter session.

"We are seeing rising COVID cases and deaths due to it in China," he said, adding India was "keeping an eye on global COVID situation and taking steps accordingly".

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He urged states to focus on heightened surveillance within the community and to undertake requisite control and containment measures.

“States have also been advised to increase the whole genome sequencing of all positive cases for timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and facilitate undertaking required public health measures," the minister said.

He also said the 2 percent random sampling of passengers has started at international airports to minimise the risk of the spread of a new variant.

"We have also started the random RT-PCR sampling among passengers arriving at International airports in the country. We are committed to tackling the pandemic and are taking appropriate steps," Mandaviya said in his statement in the Lok Sabha.

The surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States, China, Brazil and South Korea has prompted the  ministry to review the pandemic situation in India.

As a precautionary measure, the government from December 21 restarted random sampling of international passengers at some airports.

The Centre has asked all states and union territories to ramp up the genome sequencing of positive cases to understand the virus' new variants.

Mandaviya earlier asked people to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour, including wearing masks in crowded places, and get vaccinated.

In a recent report, news agency ANI said India  in the past six months reported four cases of the BF.7 Omicron sub-variant, which is driving the surge in infections in China.

India on December 22 reported 185 new coronavirus infections even as active cases declined to 3,402.

The country has recorded 4.46 crore (4,46,76,515) cases, so far. The death toll stands at 5,30,681, with one person dying of COVID in Delhi in the last 24 hours, the data released by the government in the morning showed.