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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will convene an emergency meeting on Thursday amid a sudden spurt in Covid cases in several countries, PTI reported. The Delhi government is keeping a watch on the COVID-19 situation and the chief minister has directed the health department to ensure genome sequencing of samples and take other steps needed to meet any eventuality.
“Delhi government is alert. CM Kejriwal has called an emergency meeting regarding coronavirus tomorrow,” an official said on Wednesday.
Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, China and the US, the central government had on Tuesday urged all states and Union territories to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of emerging variants.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a Covid review meeting with experts and senior officials, asserting the need for continued surveillance. “Covid is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation,” the minister said.
With Christmas and New Year festivities around the corner, state governments have been asked to step up efforts to curb any possible Covid spread as India brought back random testing at airports for international passengers.
The government said random sample testing would be conducted at airports for passengers arriving from China and other countries.
The move came amid growing concerns over the spread of Covid in China following the recent easing of strict lockdown measures. Hospitals and medical facilities in China have been overwhelmed with patients.
One epidemiologist has projected that 60 per cent of the country’s population could end up being infected over the course of the next few months.
