Key meeting with health ministers over rising Covid cases today: Mandaviya
1 min read . Updated: 23 Dec 2022, 05:42 AM IST
PremiumA large number of Covid cases are being reported in countries including Japan, United States, South Korea, France, Greece, Italy.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a meeting with the health ministers of states and Union Territories today, Friday, over increasing Covid cases in some parts of the world, according to the news agency PTI.
He made a suo motu statement in the Upper House on Thursday on India's preparedness. "We are constantly monitoring the situation. There are no direct flights between China and India but people come via other routes," Mandaviya said.
“In the last few days, we have seen an increasing trajectory of covid-19 cases across the world. India on the other hand has shown a continued decreasing trajectory of cases since last one year. Presently 153 new cases on an average are being reported daily across the country, but globally approximately 5.87 lakh new cases are still being reported on an average on daily basis," the health minister added.
The minister said the focus is to ensure that no unknown variant of the virus enters India and at the same time, there is no impediment to traveling to other parts of the world, as per PTI reports.
China and some other countries are witnessing a surge in Covid cases. A large number of cases are being reported in countries including Japan, United States, South Korea, France, Greece, Italy.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also cautioned against complacency, called for a strict vigil, and directed that the ongoing surveillance measures, especially at international airports, be strengthened.
During a high-level Covid-19 review meeting, PM Modi reiterated, 'Covid is not over yet'. The Prime Minister also urged people to wear masks in crowded places.
The Union Health Ministry asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to ensure random post-arrival Covid testing of two percent of arriving passengers in each international flight at airports from December 24, to minimize the risk of ingress of any new variant of coronavirus in the country, PTI reported.
(With PTI inputs)
