New Delhi: The next 40 days are going to be crucial as India may see a surge in Covid-19 cases, official sources have said.
They said cases may go up in the middle of January going by previous trends.
India has stepped up surveillance in the last few days as fresh waves sweep through China, Brazil and other countries. As part of that exercise, authorities are now randomly testing two percent of passengers arriving at the country’s various international airports.
Sources said that 39 international passengers have been found positive for Covid out of the 6,000 tested in the last two days. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is expected to visit the Delhi international airport on Thursday to take stock of the situation.
Hospitals around the country held mock drills Tuesday to review their preparedness in the face of a possible Covid wave. Mansukh Mandaviya has said it was imperative to keep equipment and human resources ready.
The minister himself oversaw the drill Tuesday at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.
Officials said the drills focused on parameters such as the availability of health facilities in all districts, the capacity of isolation beds, oxygen-supported beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds, and optimal availability of doctors, nurses, paramedics, AYUSH doctors, and other frontline workers, including ASHA and Anganwadi workers.
Mandaviya said Tuesday: “Covid cases are rising all over the world and India might witness a spike in cases too. Hence it is important that the entire Covid infrastructure in terms of equipment, processes and human resources are in a state of operational readiness.”
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