Srinagar: Union Health Ministry has cautioned the people that the threat of Covid -19 pandemic is not over. Addressing media about the Covid-19 situation in the country, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has informed that an average of 94 thousand cases of Covid-19 are being reported globally on a daily basis but in India, only 966 cases are being reported which accounts for only one per cent of total cases globally.
He said, in India, most of the cases are being reported from eight States with Maharashtra registering the highest number of 1650 Covid cases followed by Gujarat, Kerala and Karnataka.
Bhushan said that the country has witnessed surges in cases from the second week of last month due to which the positivity rate rose to one per cent from 0.09 per cent. He said a detailed advisory has been issued to these states regarding the required measures to be taken up for the management of Covid -19.
They have been asked to ensure the availability of sufficient designated beds, Health workers and required drugs and logistics for Covid and Influenza. Bhushan asked States to ramp up whole genome sequencing of positive samples.
The Health Secretary informed that currently, the circulating variants of Covid-19 in the country are the variants of Omicron. However, he said, there is no evidence of an increase in hospitalization and mortality has been reported in the country.
He informed that the Union Health Ministry has already issued advisories to all the States to increase the tests in view of the rise in cases. Bhushan suggested that comorbid people follow Covid appropriate behaviour and wear masks in crowded places.
