India to hold nationwide COVID drills as cases spike

Even as India reported a continuing spike in COVID cases, the government announced that a nationwide drill is planned today and tomorrow to review emergency preparedness of both public and private hospitals.

Mandaviya had conducted a review meeting  last week where he asked state health ministers to stay alert and check the preparedness of health facilities.
Indian Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya (centre) had conducted a review meeting last week where he asked state health ministers to stay alert and check the preparedness of health facilities. Photo courtesy: Twitter/@MoHFW_INDIA

Indian Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will oversee the drill at All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Haryana's Jhajjar. 5,880 new COVID cases were recorded in India in the past 24 hours, a 10 per cent rise since the day before.

Mandaviya had conducted a review meeting  last week where he asked state health ministers to stay alert and check the preparedness of health facilities.

He had said that irrespective of the new variants, the five-fold strategy of 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and adherence to COVID-Appropriate Behaviour' remains the tested strategy.

Delhi, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh have also urged the citizens to adhere to COVID appropriate behaviour as Uttar Pradesh and Kerala issued alerts over the rising number of positive cases.

With most parts of the country witnessing a rise in COVID-19 cases over the last few days, several states have made masks mandatory again, while others advised to observe caution.

Haryana and Puducherry have made wearing face masks mandatory in public places as a precautionary measure. Masks have been made mandatory in Haryana's schools too.