New Delhi: The Union health ministry has decided to deploy “multidisciplinary Central teams” to 10 states on account of rising Covid-19 cases, inadequate rates of vaccination, and the looming threat of the Omicron variant.
In a letter dated 24 December, the Disaster Management Cell of the health ministry said teams will be deployed to Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Mizoram, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Punjab “in view of the rapid surge in cases and deaths because of Covid-19.”
“It has also been observed that the pace of Covid-19 vaccinations in these states has been less than the national average,” says the letter.
The central teams will be deployed for a period of 3-5 days and will look into 5 areas, the health ministry said. These are: Contact tracing, Covid-19 testing and genome sequencing, enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour, availability of hospital beds, ambulances, ventilators and oxygen, and vaccination progress.
“The state level central teams will assess the situation, suggest remedial actions and submit a report every evening by 7PM on the public health activities being undertaken,” the letter added.
India currently has 77,032 active cases of Covid-19 and has reported 415 cases of the Omicron variant as of Saturday.
The Omicron variant has been declared a ‘Variant of Concern‘ by the World Health Organization because it carries an increased risk of reinfection. Infections associated with this variant, however, have been largely mild or asymptomatic.
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Omicron spread
In a press briefing Friday, the health ministry said 17 states have detected the Omicron variant so far. Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 108, followed by Delhi (79) and Gujarat (43).
Kerala has reported 37 cases of the new variant, while Tamil Nadu has reported 34.
“The dominant strain continues to be Delta, and we need to continue with the same strategy of Covid appropriate behaviour and ramping up vaccinations,” Balram Bhargava, director general of the ICMR, said in the press briefing, adding, “Regarding infection with Omicron, it does not necessarily lead to severe symptomatic clinical disease. About a third of all detected cases were mildly symptomatic and the rest were asymptomatic. The treatment of Omicron for symptomatic cases remains the same.”
During the second wave too, the Centre rushed multidisciplinary teams to several states as cases rose.
Poor rate of vaccination
While some states are grappling with rise of the Omicron cases, others are lagging behind in their vaccination rates. Approximately 42 per cent of India’s eligible population has been fully vaccinated, with 62 per cent having taken at least one dose, according to data with covid19bharat.org.
However, Bihar has vaccinated less than 50 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose (47.7 per cent with the first dose, 32 per cent with the second). Jharkhand, too has fared poorly, vaccinating only 48% of its population with the first dose, and 27% with the second, according to data.
Uttar Pradesh has vaccinated 55 per cent of its population with the first dose, with 29 per cent being fully vaccinated.
West Bengal’s vaccination rates are slightly higher, with 56 per cent receiving at least one dose and 30 per cent having received both. Punjab’s population has been similarly vaccinated, with 57 per cent having received at least one dose.
Mizoram, meanwhile, has almost 50 per cent of its population fully vaccinated, with 62.5 per cent having received at least one dose.
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