Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that nationwide Covid mock drills will be conducted on April 10 and 11 to check the preparedness of all hospital infrastructures.
With the country witnessing an alarming uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases, several states have stepped up vigil and also warned people to adhere to precautionary measures to contain the spread of the viral disease. The Centre recently advised states to ramp up testing and identify emergency hotspots among other measures to contain the spread of the infection.
Mandaviya had a discussion on Covid testing and genome sequencing during the meeting and also said that they have to make the citizens aware of the suggested Covid rules and ask them to follow them.
He also announced that nationwide Covid mock drills will be conducted on April 10 and 11 to check the preparedness of all hospital infrastructures.
Several states and Union Territories have also brought back the mask mandate while others have advised people to follow COVID rules.
Haryana: The Manohar Lal Khattar government on Saturday announced the mandatory use of masks in public places to combat the recent surge in Covid-19 cases.
The decision to enforce the mandatory use of face masks by the general public was taken as a precautionary measure against another potential outbreak of Covid-19.
The statement issued by the Haryana Health Department read, “It has been decided that wearing a face mask by the general public at all public places where there is a gathering of more than 100 people, government offices, malls, etc. is mandatory.”
The Haryana Health Department on Saturday reported 212 fresh Covid-19 cases.
Kerala: Kerala has also made masks mandatory for pregnant women, the elderly, and people with lifestyle diseases.
Health Minister Veena George held a meeting on Saturday to assess the Covid situation in the state. According to an official statement from the Health minister’s office, Covid-19 deaths are mostly reported in people above 60 years of age and those with lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
“85 per cent of Covid deaths have been reported in people above 60 years of age. The remaining 15 per cent have other serious illnesses. As many as five people who did not go out of the house have died of covid,” added the statement.
Informing about the safety measure, it said, “If there are elderly people or people with lifestyle diseases at home, a mask is mandatory for others too.”
Kerala on Saturday reported 965 fresh cases.
Puducherry: Amid a surge in the number of cases, the Puducherry government on Friday issued an advisory and made face masks mandatory for people in public places.
“Wearing face masks in public places is mandatory in Puducherry,” District Collector E.Vallavan said.
Staff working in hospitals, hotels, bars, restaurants, liquor shops, hospitality and entertainment sectors, government offices and commercial establishments should compulsorily wear masks, the Collector said.
Delhi: In Delhi, city’s Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj urged people to not visit public places if they have flu-like symptoms. He said that the COVID-19 cases are expected to rise in the coming days, given Delhi’s high population density.
Rajasthan: State’s Medical Education Secretary T Ravikanth has instructed compulsory tests of patients visiting hospitals for symptoms of coronavirus. He has instructed to send the collected samples to the designated centres for examination as soon as possible and to ensure treatment according to the prescribed protocol.
