Covid-19: Mansukh Mandaviya tells officials to stay alert, enhance surveillance

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday directed officials to maintain a high-level of alertness, conduct aggressive genome sequencing, and intensify Covid-19 surveillance across the country as cases reported from southeast Asia, China, and Europe increase once again, according to people familiar with the matter.

While chairing a high-level meeting on Wednesday, the minister also reviewed the decision to resume international flights from March 27; no decision, however, was taken to revoke the earlier order, said officials. 

“The health minister chaired the meeting as Covid cases are on the rise in nearby countries such as China, Singapore, Vietnam,, and also Europe. He issued three important directions pertaining to Covid management such as intensified surveillance, aggressive genome sequencing, and to maintain high level of alertness in the country,” said a senior official.