Lok Sabha Question No. 1292 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-09
Subject: Fresh COVID Cases
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sajda Ahmed

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1292 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2024

## FRESH COVID CASES

## 1292. SHRIMATI SAJDAAHMED:

Will the Minister of HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- a) the details of the Government ' s strategy and action plan in response to the surge in fresh COVID-19 cases concerning the reported death toll;
- b) the details on the ongoing or planned vaccination drives targeting the individuals who were initially left out or those who require additional doses for full vaccination coverage;
- c) whether the Government has issued advisory to State Governments regarding the management of the fresh COVID-19, including any measures to be taken to mitigate the impact on public health and safety and if so, the details thereof;
- d) the details of the Government ' s effort for collaborating with healthcare professionals, organizations and community leaders to ensure an effective and coordinated response in managing the fresh COVID-19; and
- e) the details of the recently reported COVID case and death toll, if any, across the country, State-wise?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE ( PROF. S. P. SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) to (e): Given the emergence of variants of COVID-19 virus with variable transmissibility and their possible health implications, Union Ministry of Health is following COVID-19 trajectory globally and in the country along with various expert committees. Overall, the trajectory of Covid-19 cases in the country witnessed a slight upsurge last week of November, 2023 which peaked around late December, 2023 and is currently on the decline. As on 6 th February, 2024, as reported by States/UTs, a total of 1,508 cases of Covid-19 are active in the country, of which almost 86% are reported to be mild and under home isolation.

To strengthen disease surveillance and monitor disease trends including Covid-19 and its variants, Government of India has strengthened Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), which monitors outbreak prone diseases and institutes requisite public health measures. Similarly, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established a network of more than 150 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) for timely laboratory based confirmation of pathogens.

Funding support has been provided to States/UTs for health system strengthening to meet any exigency due to public health emergencies like pandemics through National Health Mission.

Further, for timely detection of newer mutant variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus, Whole Genomic Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 is carried out by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genome Sequencing (INSACOG) network in the country.

The National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme is ongoing and the States/UTs have ensured availability of vaccines based on requirement. . As on 6 th February 2024, more than 220.67 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered across the country resulting in a coverage of more than 97% of the population aged ≥12 years with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while more than 90% with both doses. Additionally, more than 22.88 crore precaution dose have also been administered to eligible beneficiaries aged ≥18 years.

Hon ' ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare on 12 th December, 2023 has written to all Hon ' ble Health Ministers of all States seeking their collaboration in maintaining continuous vigil, while ensuring operational readiness of all health facilities and healthcare workforce to meet any exigencies due to COVID-19. Hon ' ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare in a review meeting held with all States/UTs has also urged all States to ensure dissemination of factually correct information & counter fake news to manage infodemic and mitigate any panic situation in the community.

Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare through series of formal communications as well as virtual meetings, has advised all States/UTs to:

-  Enhance Covid-19 surveillance across as per the ' Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in context of COVID-19' issued by the Ministry.
-  Ensure ramping up of RT-PCR based Covid-19 testing.
-  Refer adequate number of positive Covid-19 samples to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network of laboratories for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to ensure timely detection of newer variant of virus.
-  Monitor emerging evidences of Covid-19 cases, symptoms & case severity as well as to take stock of available health infrastructure including availability of hospitals beds, ventilators, ICU, medical oxygen, drugs, trained human resource etc. to enable timely and appropriate treatment of Covid-19 cases.

State/UTs wise Covid-19 cases & deaths, as reported by States/UTs (for the period 1 st August 2023 - 5 th February 2024) is placed at Annexure .

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State/UTs wise Covid-19 cases & deaths, as reported by States/UTs (for the period 1 st August 2023 -05 th February 2024)

|   S. No. | States/UTs                               |   Cases | Deaths   |
|----------|------------------------------------------|---------|----------|
|        1 | A&N Islands                              |       0 | 0        |
|        2 | Andhra Pradesh                           |     363 | 0        |
|        3 | Arunachal Pradesh                        |       0 | 0        |
|        4 | Assam                                    |      66 | 1        |
|        5 | Bihar                                    |     115 | 1        |
|        6 | Chandigarh                               |      16 | 0        |
|        7 | Chhattisgarh                             |     469 | 4        |
|        8 | Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu |       0 | 0        |
|        9 | Delhi                                    |     603 | 5        |
|       10 | Goa                                      |     253 | 0        |
|       11 | Gujarat                                  |     564 | 5        |
|       12 | Haryana                                  |     182 | 25*      |
|       13 | Himachal Pradesh                         |     108 | 5        |
|       14 | J&K (UT)                                 |      93 | 1        |
|       15 | Jharkhand                                |      34 | 3        |
|       16 | Karnataka                                |    6700 | 39       |
|       17 | Kerala                                   |   10411 | 156*     |
|       18 | Ladakh                                   |      33 | 0        |
|       19 | Lakshadweep                              |       0 | 0        |
|       20 | Madhya Pradesh                           |     307 | 0        |
|       21 | Maharashtra                              |    5184 | 29       |
|       22 | Manipur                                  |       5 | 0        |
|       23 | Meghalaya                                |      26 | 0        |
|       24 | Mizoram                                  |       9 | 0        |
|       25 | Nagaland                                 |       1 | 0        |
|       26 | Odisha                                   |     214 | 0        |
|       27 | Puducherry                               |     131 | 1        |
|       28 | Punjab                                   |      87 | 1,234*   |
|       29 | Rajasthan                                |     194 | 1        |
|       30 | Sikkim                                   |      59 | 1        |
|       31 | Tamil Nadu                               |     911 | 5        |
|       32 | Telangana                                |     357 | 0        |
|       33 | Tripura                                  |     133 | 2        |
|       34 | Uttar Pradesh                            |     190 | 13       |
|       35 | Uttarakhand                              |      37 | 0        |
|       36 | West Bengal                              |    1549 | 6        |