NEW DELHI: Amid reports of a surge in Covid-19 cases in China, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed the health department to ensure genome sequencing of samples and take other steps needed to meet any eventuality, officials said on Wednesday.
“The Delhi government is keeping a watch on the Covid-19 situation. Chief Minister Kejriwal himself is monitoring the preparedness,” said a senior Delhi government official. He said that the Chief Minister has directed health department officials to ensure genome sequencing and take other steps needed to meet any eventuality. Steps will be promptly taken to meet the needs to handle the situation.
As per reports, three cases of Omicron subvariant BF.7, apparently the strain driving China’s current surge of Covid cases, have been detected in India so far. “The first case of BF.7 in India was detected in October by Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre. So far, two cases have been reported from Gujarat while one case has been reported from Odisha,” they said.
Delhi has recorded 20, 07,097 Covid cases and 26,519 deaths since the pandemic started in early 2020.
Around 2,000 to 3,000 tests are being conducted in Delhi on average and the number of daily cases has remained below 20 since mid-November.
Only one death due to the infection has been reported in December so far. The central government on Tuesday urged all states and Union territories to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of emerging variants.
The government said such an exercise will enable the timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate the undertaking of requisite public health measures. Kejriwal will convene an emergency meeting on Thursday amid a sudden spurt in Covid cases in several countries, officials said.
“Delhi government is alert. CM Kejriwal has called an emergency meeting regarding coronavirus tomorrow,” an official said on Wednesday.