Ranchi: RIMS official cautions against COVID cases surge, advises good care to prevent spread

Amid the fresh global surge in COVID-19 cases, the Head of the Department (HoD) of Medicines at the Ranchi-based Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) cautioned people to take necessary precautions against the new COVID-19 variant.

In a conversation with ANI, HoD Medicines at RIMS, Dr Vidyapati stated, "We have made necessary arrangements in view of the recent surge in COVID cases", and added, "Since this is just the initial stage, everyone needs to take good care of themselves".

Speaking about the instruction received from Jharkhand Health Department after the recently concluded meeting, Dr Vidyapati stated, "Various vital points have been discussed. Initially, the testing has to be increased with immediate effect", and added, "If found positive, the process of genetic sequencing will be initiated, as discussed in the meeting".

"The basement area which earlier was in use as a Dengue ward has been turned into a COVID ward and the New Trauma centre has been reserved for serious patients", he stated, informing the hospital's preparedness.

About the spread of the virus in the state, he further said that due to a minimal number of cases at present, the severity and the rate of spread couldn't be determined.

Addressing the general public, Dr Vidyapati stressed using Masks and Sanitizers and advised avoiding public gatherings as much as possible.

Earlier, Jharkhand's Health Minister Banna Gupta stated that the government is prepared and alert for any COVID conditions in the state.

"We have established 12,628 beds, 110 PSA plants and all other necessary equipment and infrastructure to deal with Covid-19", informed Gupta about the state's preparedness.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level virtual meeting to review the COVID-19 situation and its related aspects in the county. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Miniter Mansukh Mandaviya and NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer Parameswaran Iyer were among others who participated in the meeting.

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Mandaviya said that the government has started random RT-PCR sampling among the passengers arriving at International airports in the country amid the recent surge of Coronavirus infection in various countries including China, Japan, South Korea, France, and United States.

He also encouraged the states to increase awareness towards precautionary doses against Coronavirus.

"We are keeping an eye on the global Covid situation and are taking steps accordingly. The States are advised to increase genome-sequencing to timely identify the new variant of Covid-19," Mandaviya added.

He further said that the health department has been proactive in managing the Covid pandemic. The Centre has also provided financial assistance to States in the fight against the pandemic, he added.

Mandaviya has already directed the officials to be fully geared up and strengthen the surveillance system for whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track the variants through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network to ensure the timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country.

There has been an alarming surge in Covid cases in China, Japan, South Korea, France, and the United States. The spike is being blamed on the new Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which has also been detected in four Indian states.

( With inputs from ANI )