COVID-19: PM Narendra Modi to chair high-level meeting today as 4 BF.7 variant cases found in India

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, will hold a review meeting of the situation related to COVID-19 and related aspects in the country at a high-level meeting today afternoon as the BF.7 variant of COVID-19 raises concerns globally.

Yesterday, the Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, chaired a high level meeting over the rising number of cases of COVID-19 around the world.

No change in aviation protocol

"There is no change with regard to aviation as of now, use a mask if you are in a crowded space, indoors or outdoors. This is all the more important for people with comorbidities or are of higher age," said Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog after the Union Health Minister's meeting on COVID.

"Only 27-28% of people have taken precaution dose. We appeal to others, especially senior citizens, to take precaution dose. Precaution dose is mandated and guided to everyone." He further added.

The meeting was attended by Dr V K Paul, member, NITI Aayog; Dr. NK Arora, Chairman COVID-19 working group NTAGI; Dr Rajiv Bahl, DG-ICMR; Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary in Dept of biotechnology & Dr Atul Goel DGHS, MoHFW.

Sudden surge in cases world over

ln view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, USA, Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track variants through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network, writes Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan to States and Union Territories.