NEW DELHI: After new Omicron sub-variants were detected in India, triggering off alarm bells ahead of the festival, the Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation and directed officials to focus on the practical implementation of surveillance strategy and strengthening genome sequencing for early detection of new variants.
Maharashtra, which had earlier detected Omicron sub-variant BQ.1, on Tuesday confirmed 71 cases of XBB – a combination of two omicron sub-lineages BJ.1 and BA.2.75 and has led to a surge in Covid cases in Singapore - has been detected in India. Gujarat also reported BF.7 Omicron sub-variant, which had caused a rise in Covid-19 cases in the US, UK, and many European countries.
Mandaviya discussed the emergence of new Omicron variants, due to which many countries are witnessing a steep rise in cases, and stressed the need for monitoring the points of entries.
Chairing the meeting with public health experts and officials, he also discussed the global scenario, including in the US, UK and many European countries, which are witnessing a surge in Covid cases due to the new emerging Omicron sub-variants, which are said to be immune escape variants and have higher transmissibility.
Since the new variants have been detected in Maharashtra, Covid-19 cases in the state rose by 17.17 per cent on October 10-16 compared to October 3 and 9. The rise in Covid cases were being noticed particularly in densely-populated Thane, Raigad and Mumbai, triggering concern that the virus could spread fast during the festival time.
Mandaviya stressed the need to undertake adequate testing (with a higher proportion of RT PCR and effective Covid-19 surveillance to assess and control the spread of infection promptly.
He directed officials to continue to focus on surveillance across the country, mainly through sentinel sites and on Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to scan for any possible mutation in the wake of the identification of Omicron variants in other countries.
He also urged officials to monitor hospitalisations due to Covid-19 closely and urged them to increase the pace of vaccination, including precautionary doses to the eligible beneficiaries.
The minister also highlighted the need for community awareness for continued implementation of the Covid appropriate behaviour (CAB), especially given the upcoming festival season.