With WHO classified omicron As a variant of the concern, the health ministry has directed states to review the detailed travel history of passengers arriving via international flights and ensure testing of passengers from “at risk” countries. The ministry said that all samples that test COVID-positive should be sent immediately for genome sequencing.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan highlighted the need for strict monitoring of international passengers by states, saying that “there is already a reporting mechanism to get past travel details of passengers arriving via international flight”.
“… this should be reviewed at your level and the protocols provided by this ministry should be strictly ensured, including testing and genome sequencing of all positive samples of international travelers coming from “at risk” countries to the Insacog This includes sending it to the labs in an expeditious manner, Bhushan told the states.
Bhushan also urged the states to significantly increase the number of tests conducted on the general population and send all COVID-positive samples for genome sequencing. “INSACOG has been set up to monitor the forms circulating in the country. At this juncture it is important that the states should significantly increase the sampling from the general population/community for genome sequencing by sending these samples to the INSACOG lab network as per the policy,” Bhushan told the states.
The health ministry has also asked states to ensure continuous surveillance of hotspots, which are areas where a cluster of positive cases have emerged recently.
“In all such “hotspots”, designated INSACOG Labs in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) should be ensured to send saturation tests and positive samples for genome sequencing, expeditiously, of cases to the States. The emerging trend of COVID-19 and positivity in an area should be closely monitored and hotspots should be delineated quickly for effective containment of COVID-19,” Bhushan told the states.
The health ministry has directed states to implement a four-pronged approach to effectively manage the situation in the backdrop of reports of the outbreak of the Omicron variant in several countries. Bhushan asked the states to implement intensive containment measures and proactively monitor COVID-19 cases.
The ministry has also asked states to increase vaccination coverage and implement COVID-appropriate practices in a “very proactive manner”.
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