Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to hold Covid review meet with southern states and UTs

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a high-level virtual meeting with the health ministers of Southern states and Union territories today at 2.30 pm to review the Covid-19 situation and public health preparedness as well as response measures being taken in the context of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.

As per an ANI report, the health ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands will attend the meeting. The meeting will also be attended by Senior health officials.

The Union Minister had earlier conducted a high-level meeting with nine Northern States, UTs and advised to send Covid testing and vaccination data timely. He also said that testing should be ramped up in the States where it has gone down.

He also advised States and UTs to ensure that those in home isolation are efficiently monitored in line with the National Guidelines. He said, “This will ensure that the vulnerable categories of active cases in home isolation get the required medical help in a timely manner.”

The Union Health Minister re-emphasised the need for ramping up testing in the States and UTs. Those States/UTs that are showing a lower share of RTPCR testing were requested to ramp up tests through RTPCR. States and UTs were also reminded to keep a close watch on the emerging clusters and hotspots and monitor the trend of hospitalised cases along with the deaths in the state.

Dr Mandaviya said that with our past experience, ‘Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and Adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour’ along with monitoring of cases remains crucial for Covid management.