Bureau Report
NEW DELHI: India’s government has asked the country’s states to keep a sharp lookout for any new variants of the coronavirus and urged people to wear masks in crowded areas, citing an increase in COVID-19 cases in China and other parts of the globe.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met senior government officials on Wednesday to discuss the matter, with all those present wearing masks — a practice that has not been mandatory in most parts of the country for several months.
“COVID is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance,” he said on Twitter. “We are prepared to manage any situation.”
China has seen a surge in infections after ending strict restrictions, while data from the World Health Organization shows infections have risen in countries like Japan, South Korea and the United States in recent days.
The Indian government has asked all states to ensure that samples of positive cases are sent to the country’s 54 desig-nated genome sequencing laboratories.
“Such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants if any,” Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in a letter to the states on Tuesday.
Some opposition leaders and Twitter users in India have called for a suspension of flights to and from China. A gov-ernment source, who was not authorised to speak to the media and declined to be identified, said there was no such plan.
