Focus on sequencing, monitor hospitalization, asks Mandaviya amid Covid surge

New Delhi, June 23 Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday directed the officials to focus on genome sequencing and hospitalizations cases amid a surge of Covid-19 cases in the country.
The directions came after the Minister chaired a high-level review meeting today with the experts and officials.
“The Minister directed officials to continue to focus on surveillance and on Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to scan for any possible mutation. He also directed for monitoring hospitalizations due to Covid-19, and SARI/ILI cases,” a statement issued from the Union Health Ministry said.
Mandaviya stressed the need to focus on districts reporting high case positivity, undertake adequate testing (with a higher proportion of RTPCR) and effective Covid-19 surveillance to assess and control the spread of infection on time.
He also exhorted to increase the pace of vaccination including booster doses in districts reporting high cases.
“As there are adequate vaccine doses available, let there be no vaccine wastage while focusing on accelerating vaccination among the eligible and vulnerable groups,” he directed.