Need to monitor virus evolution: PM during Covid review meeting

Delhi: There was a strong need to monitor the evolution of the Covid-19 virus in light of the surge in infections driven by the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a Covid-19 review meeting on Sunday. Greater emphasis should be placed on testing, genome sequencing and vaccination, he urged.

The meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and senior government officials. The chief of the railway board and the secretary of the Civil Aviation ministry were also present at the meet.

"There is a need for continuous scientific research in testing , vaccines and pharmacological interventions including genome sequencing given that the virus is evolving continuously," the  Prime Minister said, according to a government statement.

Vaccination for adolescents must be conducted in "mission mode" and focus on Covid-appropriate behaviour will be critical in the coming days, he said.

More technical assistance should be given to states with higher number of infections and health infrastructure and research should be prioritised, the Prime Minister urged during the online meeting, his second Covid review meeting since November, when the Omicron variant was first discovered. 

India reported over 1.5 lakh daily infections for the second consecutive day on Sunday, taking the active caseload to 5,90,611. According to the Union Ministry of Health, the country recorded 1,59,632 fresh Covid-19 cases and 327 deaths in the last 24 hours ending Sunday, 9 am. The daily positivity rate stood at 10.21 per cent. Meanwhile, the Omicron tally in India has reached 3,623, with Maharashtra (1,009) continuing to top the count.

Today, precautionary booster doses of the vaccine will be administered to frontline healthcare workers and elderly persons above 60 with comorbidities. Those eligible for the vaccine must have had at least 9 months since the second dose was administered.