Covid Cases On The Rise: Govt For Nationwide Drill To Take Stock Of Hospital Preparedness

NEW DELHI: Amid rising cases of COVID-19 the government is planning a nationwide mock drill on April 10 and 11 to take stock of hospital preparedness. India reported 1,590 Covid cases in the last 24 hours, the highest in 146 days, the Union health ministry said. The health ministry said that XBB.1.16 subvariant of Omicron might be the dominant virus strain in the country.

 According to a joint advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday, both public and private health facilities in all districts are expected to participate in the exercise aimed at taking stock of the availability of medicines, hospital beds, medical equipment and medical oxygen.

The exact details of the mock drill shall be communicated to the states in the virtual meeting scheduled on March 27, the advisory stated. The joint advisory highlighted that in the past several weeks, COVID-19 testing has declined in some states and the current testing levels are insufficient as compared to the standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO), i.e 140 tests per million. Testing at the levels of districts and blocks also varies, with some states heavily relying on the less sensitive rapid antigen tests. It would also be useful to take stock of hospital preparedness including drugs, beds including ICU beds, medical equipment, medical oxygen, capacity building of human resource on existing guidelines as well as vaccination coverage.

The advisory signed by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Director General of ICMR Dr Rajiv Bahl stated that a gradual but sustained increase in the trajectory of COVID-19 cases in the country is being witnessed since mid-February. "While the rates of hospitalization and death due to the disease remain low, largely because of the significant coverage achieved in terms of COVID-19 vaccination rates by all states and UTS, this gradual rise in cases needs reinvigorated public health actions to contain the surge," the advisory said.