New Delhi: Omicron variant is the dominant variant in the country presently and the current surge of COVID-19 cases in the country is showing a sustained declining trend since January 21, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
With the reporting of Omicron, a highly mutated variant of SARSCoV-2 virus and its classification as a Variant of Concern (VoC) by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Union Ministry of Health revised its ‘Guidelines for international arrivals’, Mandaviya said in a written reply.
“Omicron variant is the dominant variant in the country presently. The current surge of COVID-19 cases in the country is showing a sustained declining trend since January 21, 2022,” he said.
“Following a risk based approach, provisions for mandatory pre-departure and post arrival RT-PCR testing on day 8th of arrival and a mandatory home quarantine for 7 days have been made in the present guidelines for all international travellers to India. The Ministry of Health continues to provide technical guidance for managing various aspects of COVID-19 including containment and surveillance, testing, clinical management protocols, post-COVID sequale, etc.,” the minister said.
“The clinical management protocols have also been disseminated under the Ministry of Health’s Center of Excellence initiative for all states in collaboration with AIIMS, Delhi and Indian Medical Association. Besides regular review meetings at the level of Union Health Minister with all relevant stakeholders including subject experts, review meetings with states and UTs through video conferencing have been conducted regularly to review preparedness and response measures to address COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
States and UTs have been advised to undertake several activities which include strict monitoring of International travellers in the community, contact tracing of positive individuals and follow up for 14 days, genome sequencing of positive samples through INSACOG Labs in a prompt manner, continued monitoring of areas where cluster of positive cases emerge and further strengthening of COVID-19 testing infrastructure.
“They have been advised to ensure preparedness of health infrastructure (availability of ICU, oxygen supported beds, ventilators, etc.,) and upgrading health infrastructure under ECRP-II including in rural areas and for pediatric cases, commissioning all PSA plants, ensuring COVID-19 vaccination for the eligible population and ensuring adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour. The Union Health Ministry continues to provide support to states and UTs to enhance preparedness and response capacities against COVID-19 and other public health emergencies. Funding support is also provided to states and UTs through National Health Mission, State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) and Emergency COVID-19 Response and Preparedness packages. Under ECRP Phase II, a package of Rs. 23,123 crore (with Rs. 15,000 Cr as Central Component) has been approved. Of this, as on 31st January 2022, funds to the tune of Rs 7245.95 crore have been released to states and UTs as part of central component to strengthen health infrastructure to manage any surge in cases,” Mandaviya stated.
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Over 5 lakh deaths from Covid
The Union minister also said there has been 5.33 lakh deaths so far from the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. He also informed that insurance claims worth Rs 808 crore have been paid under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package’ (PMGKP) insurance scheme, launched on March 30, 2020, to families of 1,616 healthcare workers who died while being involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Replying to a supplementary question asked by Congress MP K C Venugopal related to Covid deaths in Rajya Sabha, Mandaviya said health is a state subject and the related data is collected by the states and then reported to the central government.
He said the World Health Organisation has issued guidelines on collecting the data on COVID-19 deaths.
Based on these guidelines, the Centre has created a platform and asked the states to submit the data on COVID-19 deaths on it, he added.
“So far, all the state governments have submitted data of 5.33 lakh deaths from COVID-19,” Mandaviya said.
The minister asserted that the data is in public domain and the Centre has nothing to hide.
The Centre has also asked states to reconcile the data if they failed to submit it, he said, adding that many states have done that.
Mandaviya pointed out that Kerala has been reconciling its data on a daily basis and the state has so far reconciled more than 20,000 deaths.
“We do not have any problem. We disclose whatever information we get from the states,” he said.
The minister said the Centre has maintained data on the total cases and deaths as reported by states and Union Territories on a regular basis.
“Disaggregated data by profession is required to be maintained by the states. Accordingly, the Union government has requested states/UTs to furnish the requisite details,” he added.
In reply to another supplementary, Mandaviya complemented all doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers for doing exemplary work during the first, second and third wave of the pandemic.
He said the country was able to successfully handle the pandemic because of the efforts of these health workers.
The minister said the government launched the PMGKP scheme to provide an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to eligible beneficiaries. The scheme has been extended several times.
Mandaviya said insurance claims amounting to Rs 808 crore under this limit of Rs 50 lakh have been paid to families of 1,616 health workers.
In a written reply, Mandaviya said 201 compensation claims amounting to Rs 100.5 crore had been paid in Maharashtra till January 2022. As many as 160 claims amounting to Rs 80 crore were paid in Andhra Pradesh.
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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