Amid rising Covid-19 cases in India, the Uttar Pradesh government issued a “high priority” directive, instructing concerned officials to ensure international passengers are screened at all airports. The Kerala government, after a high-level Covid review meeting, has made masks mandatory for vulnerable populations, including the elderly and pregnant women.
The move followed the Center’s direction to states to identify emergency hotspots and increase testing for coronavirus infections, after the country posted its highest daily case count since September.
India recorded 6,155 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, while the number of active cases rose to 31,194, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. With this, India’s COVID-19 tally now stands at Rs 4.47 crore (4,47,51,259).
In view of the increase in cases, states are also acting cautiously and bringing back certain restrictions.
uttar pradesh
In view of the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases across the state, the Uttar Pradesh government has made the wearing of masks mandatory for all people in crowded places. According to an order issued by the state government, all samples that test positive for Covid must be sent for genome sequencing.
“Private and government laboratories should send all Covid-positive samples to the King George Medical University (KGMU) microbiology department for whole genome sequencing,” the directive said.
The state government order further states that integrated Covid command centers must be activated, surveillance teams must be activated, rapid response teams must be sensitized and ‘nigrani samiti’ must be trained at district level.
In hospitals across the state, doctors and paramedical personnel must be sensitized. In addition, the availability of equipment, medicines, and labor should also be checked at hospitals.
Kerala
Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday stressed caution, saying state hospitals will conduct a drill as per the Center’s directive. George said there were 1,801 new cases in the state on Saturday.
“Districts like Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kottayam are reporting more cases. Similarly, admission to hospitals of Covid patients is slowly increasing, but the saving grace is that only 0.8 percent of them require oxygen beds, while 1.2 percent are admitted to the intensive care unit. intensive care,” George said.
“All districts have been instructed to, following an increase in positive cases, reinforce their Covid facilities in accordance with the ‘Plan Surge’. A separate meeting of private health care providers will be convened soon. All those who work in nursing homes, nursing homes are required to wear N-95 masks,” George added.
He said that caution should be exercised by all those who have elderly people in their homes.
“Older people suffering from lifestyle-related illnesses should ensure that they wear masks at all times, especially when they go out. Pregnant women must also wear masks. Also, those who have to go out should ensure they wear masks and once back home ensure all Covid protocols are followed using soap and sanitizers appropriately,” George said.
Delhi
Health department authorities have instructed hospitals, polyclinics and dispensaries in Delhi to ramp up testing amid an upward trend in COVID-19 cases here in recent days, sources said on Saturday. More than 3,800 coronavirus cases have been registered in the city during the period from March 30 to April 7.
Delhi recorded 535 new covid cases on Saturday with a positivity rate of 23.05 percent, according to data shared by the city government’s health department. The sources said the department has instructed the city’s hospitals, polyclinics and dispensaries to increase Covid testing.
“Authorities at these facilities have been told that anyone who visits these facilities and shows symptoms of ILI (influenza-like illness), such as fever, cough, body aches, should be tested, as cases have increased and the daily count is growing steadily. said a source.
Andhra
The coronavirus pandemic is fully under control in Andhra Pradesh with only 267 people presenting symptoms out of the total 15,096 people tested, state Health Minister Vidadala Rajini said. The Minister said there was no reason to worry, reflecting on these tests carried out in the last two weeks.
“Currently, all these patients are undergoing treatment at home. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy always alerts the health department about covid tests,” Rajini said in a statement on Friday.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra on Saturday recorded 542 new cases of coronavirus infection and one death, bringing the infection count to 81,49,141 and the death toll to 1,48,458, a state health department official said. There has been a drop in infections since Friday, when the state had recorded 926 cases and three deaths.
With 668 patients recovering from the infection in the last 24 hours, the recovery count reaches 79,96,323, leaving the state with 4,360 active cases, the official said.
read all latest news from india here
