COVID-19 cases in India: Two-day nationwide mock drill starts today to take stock of preparedness

Public and private facilities will participate in a nationwide mock drill today and tomorrow as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will visit AIIMS, Jhajjar on April 10 to oversee the mock drills. 

Mandaviya had asked state health ministers to visit hospitals and oversee the mock drills on April 10 and 11. Before that on April 8 and 9, the ministers were asked to review the preparedness with district administrations and health officials.  

In the virtual meeting held on April 7, the Health Minister emphasised to state health ministers, principal and additional chief secretaries the need to identify emergency hotspots by monitoring trends such as influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, and to ramp up testing and vaccination to ensure the readiness of hospital infrastructure. States and Union Territories were asked to increase the rate of testing sharply. 

He also emphasised on the enhancing of genome sequencing and ramping up whole genome sequencing of positive samples, and the importance of following COVID-appropriate behaviour. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is closely tracking a variant of interest (VOI), XBB.1.5, and six other variants are under monitoring including BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBF and XBB.1.16, the ministry said in a statement. 

Mandaviya also stressed on the five-fold strategy of 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and adherence to Covid-Appropriate Behaviour'. 

Also read: Covid curbs back in these states as infection cases surge