PM Modi to chair high-level meeting today to review Covid-related situation –

With the recent increase of COVID cases in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will convene a high-level conference today to assess the situation and public health readiness. The meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India registered 1,134 new cases in the previous 24 hours, bringing the active caseload to 7,026.

Earlier on Tuesday, the national capital reported one Covid fatality and 83 new cases in the midst of an increase in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring Maharashtra. In response to the spike in instances, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced new instructions for Covid-19 on March 19.

“Antibiotics should not be used unless there is clinical suspicion of bacterial infection. The possibility of coinfection of COVID-19 with other endemic infections must be considered. Systemic corticosteroids are not indicated in mild disease,” revised guidelines said.

Maintain “physical distance, indoor mask usage, hand cleanliness, and symptomatic treatment,” according to the amended Ccovid-19 guidelines (hydration, antipyretics, antitussive) Keep an eye on the temperature and oxygen saturation (by applying a SpO probe to fingers) Maintain communication with your treating physician.

“Seek immediate medical attention if difficulty breathing, High-grade fever/ severe cough, particularly if lasting for more than 5 days. A low threshold is to be kept for those with any of the high-risk features,” guidelines discussed and prepared in January said. Additionally, in moderate or severe diseases at high risk of progression, the guidelines recommend, “Consider Remdesivir for up to 5 days (200 mg IV on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV OD for the next 4 days)”.

As Covid-19 cases in these states mount, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry wrote to the state governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka on Thursday, urging them to implement a five-pronged plan of test, track, treat, and vaccines. Meanwhile, as the virus rapidly spreads across the country, a new sub-variant H3N2 is emerging, and its cases are also becoming more visible.