China Covid surge: Centre issues red flag, advises masks

New Delhi: After alarming reports of the Covid-19 surge emerged from neighbouring China, the Union government has re-issued advice to wear masks in public areas. The government has convened a high-level meeting following the Chinese crisis to plan a strategy to prevent a surge in India, NDTV reported.

After the meeting, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Twitter, "COVID is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation," NDTV quoted.

A member of the Union government's think tank NITI Aayog, VK Paul, said that there is no need to panic since an adequate number of tests are being conducted. Further, there is no change in international air travel so far, he informed.

The meeting was announced earlier that it would concentrate on six points. These include a strategy to block the incoming cases at international and domestic airports, introducing guidelines for passengers from abroad and consultation with experts on new Covid-19 variants. Also, Indian travellers arriving from outside, Covid strains currently in circulation in the country and upcoming New Year celebrations.

After the meeting, the government informed that all samples of Covid-19 positive cases would be sent to INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium) for genome sequencing.

In the last 24 hours, India has registered 129 new Covid-19 cases, and the active caseload stands at 3,408. A death was lodged in the said period, taking the cumulative death count to 5,30,677.

The crises in China are reportedly out of the sudden relaxation from the Zero Covid policy, which had imposed strict lockdowns and mass testing. Spike in cases in the country has crashed the medical system in China, it is learned, as pharmacies ran out of medicines.

AFP reported that Chinese authorities account that they couldn't track the progress of the virus.