On Wednesday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a meeting with senior officials and experts to review the COVID-19 situation in India amid reports of a surge in new infections in China and the US.
Mandaviya said that the pandemic is not over yet, but "we are prepared to manage any situation".
"In view of the rising cases of COVID-19 in some countries, reviewed the situation with experts and officials today. Covid is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation," the minister said on Twitter.
Earlier in the day, Mandaviya had courted controversy after he wrote a letter to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asking to follow the COVID-19 guidelines strictly during the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra and also requested to postpone the foot march if the following protocol is not possible.
"Follow the COVID guidelines strictly during Bharat Jodo Yatra which is going on in Rajasthan. Use of masks-sanitiser should be implemented. Only vaccinated people should participate.?If following COVID protocol is not possible then the Bharat Jodo Yatra be postponed in the national interest, taking note of the public health emergency," the letter said.
On Tuesday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter to States and Union Territories, said that in view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, USA, Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track variants through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network.
"All states are requested to ensure that as far as possible samples of all positive cases, on a daily basis, are sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) that are mapped to the States and UTs," said Union Health Secretary.
Amid the rising COVID cases in China, a top Indian health expert on Tuesday cautioned the people while asking them to keep a close vigil on the situation in the country.
However, health experts said there is nothing to panic about as the country's system is "vigilant".
Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 4,46,76,330 on Wednesday with 131 fresh infections, while the number of active cases came down to 3,408, according to Union health ministry data.
The toll due to the viral disease increased to 5,30,680 with three more fatalities, including two deaths reconciled by Kerala and one reported from West Bengal in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections. According to the ministry's website, the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.80 per cent.
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