Comorbidity patients should exercise caution since COVID cases are on rise, health expert warns

A top consultant doctor warned patients with comorbidities on Thursday, urging them to exercise caution in the coming days in light of the recent global spike in COVID-19 cases.

Cautioning the patients, senior consultant physician Dr Rajeev Bansal in a conversation with ANI said, “Patients with comorbidities need to be very careful in the coming days as there is a surge in COVID”. Further advising the comorbidity patients he stated, “Regularly check your glucose levels and blood pressure and follow COVID protocol using masks, hand sanitisers and social distancing”.

Notably, four instances of the BF.7 Omicron sub-variant, which is responsible for the current outbreak of illnesses in China, were reported from India in the past six months. According to sources, there are presently 10 distinct Covid-19 types in the nation, with BF.7 being the newest.

A high-level conference was presided over by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday to assess the current Covid-19 situation in the nation and the public health system’s readiness for surveillance, containment, and control of the pandemic.

He advised individuals to adopt Covid-appropriate behaviour and receive the Covid-19 vaccine. He emphasised that the epidemic is still ongoing and urged officials to prepare for any challenges and increase surveillance.

“Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases globally, the central government has briefed all states to conduct genome sequencing of samples”, the additional chief secretary of Health Manoj Agarwal informed on Wednesday.

Covid instances have increased dramatically in China, Japan, South Korea, France, and the US. The novel Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which has also been found in four Indian states, is being held responsible for the increase.

The latest Covid-19 fatality occurred in Beijing, where hundreds of Covid positive cases were reported prior to the cancellation of the Zero Covid policy, on November 23. After that, China ceased reporting individuals who had no symptoms, which made up a sizable portion of the Covid total.

The nation also abandoned the once popular Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing equipment in favour of fast antigen kits, which are acknowledged to be somewhat incorrect. This indicated that the data had been changed or was irrelevant, according to The Straits Times.