BF.7 variant scare Live Updates: Amid a global surge in Covid cases, the government of India has ramped up its preparations. To ensure the readiness of the COVID-19 health facilities to meet the increase in clinical care needs due to any spurt in cases, the Union health ministry has asked the states and Union territories to hold mock drills at all health facilities on Tuesday. In view of a surge in the Covid trajectory in many countries, it is necessary that the requisite public health measures are put in place in all the states to meet any exigencies, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to the states on Saturday. Ramping up anti-Covid measures, the government on Saturday said RT-PCR test would be made mandatory for passengers from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand and asked states to conduct a mock drill on December 27 to ensure readiness of health facilities including medical oxygen generation plants.
On the other hand, as hospitals and morgues in China are overwhelmed by millions of Covid cases, official data projected that millions have been infected since December 1 while the government has permitted the opening up of 'Internet Hospitals' for the affected people to seek medical help to reduce the overload on clinics. There were nearly 37 million new infections nationwide as of Tuesday this week, officials cited data, highlighting for the first time the surge in cases across the country.
