Since the previous month, when the number of COVID-19 cases surged, particularly in Kerala, cases have been continuously increasing throughout India. Following the appearance of Omicron sub-variant JN.1, state and federal governments have acted to stop its spread. In light of this, rules for COVID-19 suspected or positive cases that will be reported at hospitals have been released by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.
This new strain is being closely studied by scientists and has been designated as a Variant of Interest (VOI) by the World Health Organization (WHO). This variation turns out to be fatal for elderly individuals and those with any kind of comorbidity. According to Health Ministry data released Wednesday, India reported 636 new coronavirus cases and three COVID-related deaths in a single day. There were reports of one death from Tamil Nadu and two from Kerala.
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Health Minister, stated on Tuesday that improved protection against significant disease outbreaks depends on pandemic preparedness and disease surveillance rooted in robust health institutions that serve all people. In addition to the BSL-3 labs in Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, Mandaviya virtually established the groundwork for the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) regional branch in Assam, as well as six state branches in Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, and Mizoram. Besides, he opened a temporary NCDC regional branch in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal. The nation's capabilities for pandemic preparedness and disease surveillance with a "One Health" approach will be strengthened by these new NCDC branches and BSL-3 labs.
The NCDC's regional branches, according to Mandaviya, would support the fight against diseases including scrub typhus, Kyasanur forest disease (KFD), and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), which have regional variations. He added that once operational, state branches of the NCDC and a BSL-3 laboratory will strengthen the region's and the state's ability to respond and prepare, particularly for diseases that are susceptible to outbreaks from high-risk pathogens.
