Amid the ongoing global concerns over emerging variants of the Covid-19 virus, an important high-level meeting was convened under the leadership of PK Mishra, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. The meeting aimed to comprehensively review the current status of Covid-19 in the country and to evaluate its preparedness in light of the evolving situation.
During the meeting, a crucial directive was issued to states and union territories to closely monitor trends related to Influenza like Illnesses (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). Additionally, they were instructed to send an ample number of samples for Covid-19 testing and whole genome sequencing to enhance surveillance and understanding of the virus’s behavior.
An informative overview of the global Covid-19 scenario was provided by the Secretary of Health, which included insights into newer variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus like BA.2.86 (Pirola) and EG.5 (Eris). These variants have been identified and reported in various countries globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) shared that while EG.5 (Eris) has surfaced in more than 50 countries, the variant BA.2.86 (Pirola) has been identified in four nations.
Notably, India has maintained a daily average of new Covid-19 cases below 50 across the entire country. Furthermore, the nation has successfully maintained a weekly test positivity rate of less than 0.2%. The meeting also encompassed a comprehensive discussion on the genome sequencing of different virus variants circulating within India.
Even though India constitutes nearly 17% of the global population, it has reported only 223 new Covid-19 cases in the past week, accounting for a mere 0.075% of the global new cases reported over the same period.
P.K. Mishra, following detailed deliberations, emphasized the stable Covid-19 situation in the country and the preparedness of public health systems. However, he emphasized the need for states to be vigilant about ILI/SARI cases, prioritize Covid-19 testing, enhance Whole Genome Sequencing efforts, and closely monitor the emergence of new global variants.
The high-level meeting witnessed the participation of key officials, including Vinod Paul from NITI Aayog, Rajiv Gauba, the Cabinet Secretary, and senior figures from the health sector, research organizations, and government bodies. The meeting’s outcomes underscore the commitment of the Indian government to adapt swiftly to evolving Covid-19 scenarios and to maintain the safety and wellbeing of its citizens.
