In a review meeting held on April 7, Mandaviya had urged state health ministers to visit hospitals and oversee the mock drills. He had also advised them to review the preparedness with district administrations and health officials on April 8 and 9.
Amid the ever-rising Covid-19 cases in India, a nationwide mock drill to take stock of hospital preparedness will be held on April 10 and 11 in which both public and private facilities are expected to participate. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will visit AIIMS, Jhajjar on April 10 to oversee the mock drill, officials said.
In a review meeting held on April 7, Mandaviya had urged state health ministers to visit hospitals and oversee the mock drills.
He had also advised them to review the preparedness with district administrations and health officials on April 8 and 9.
READ | Rinku Singh finally opens up after Shah Rukh Khan hails his 5 successive sixes against GT with Pathaan twist
In the meeting with state health ministers, and principal and additional chief secretaries held virtually, Mandaviya had stressed the need to identify emergency hotspots by monitoring trends of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, ramping up testing and vaccination, and ensuring the readiness of hospital infrastructure.
During the meeting, states and union territories were informed that currently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is closely tracking a variant of interest (VOI), XBB.1.5, and six other variants are under monitoring (BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBF and XBB.1.16), a health ministry statement had said.
It was highlighted that while Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the predominant variants, most of the assigned variants have little or no significant transmissibility, disease severity, or immune escape.
READ | PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana: 14th installment to release soon, check steps to apply, list of documents required
The prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.6 percent in February to 35.8 percent in March. However, no evidence of an increase in hospitalisation or mortality has been reported, the statement said.
During the meeting, it was observed that 23 states and union territories had average tests per million below the national average.
Mandaviya had said that irrespective of the new variants, the five-fold strategy of 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and adherence to Covid-Appropriate Behaviour' continues to remain the tested strategy for Covid management.
States and union territories were also requested to expeditiously increase the rate of testing from 100 tests per million as of the week ending April 7. They were further advised to increase the share of RT-PCR in tests.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Fresh Covid-19 wave in India? Nationwide drill in hospitals on April 10, 11, Mansukh Mandaviya to visit AIIMS")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}