Dr. Randeep Guleria, a former director of the AIIMS, stated on March 22, 2023, that the new XBB.1.16 variation may be the cause of the current increase in Covid-19 infections in India. Nonetheless, he emphasized that there was no reason to fear as long as it did not result in fatal illnesses and injuries. While the virus continues to evolve over time and the XBB 1.16 is somewhat of a “new child on the block,” new versions will continue to emerge, Guleria told in an interview.
According to Guleria
who was also a member of the national Covid-19 task team, “as long as they don’t cause severe disease, hospitalization, and deaths, they are okay since it assists in providing some degree of protection to the people if they have a slight illness.” According to him, the virus changes with time and this is known as antigenic drift. That happens with both influenza and Covid-19. According to him, it will gradually change, mutate a little bit, and produce new varieties.
“If we recall correctly, the Covid-19 outbreak began with the Omicron, Beta, Gamma Delta, and Alpha strains. The virus thus continued to evolve. Fortunately, if we examine what has occurred over the past year, we see variants that are essentially Omicron-only sub-lineages. Hence, it appears that the virus has somewhat stabilized; it no longer changes as quickly as it did in the past “explained Dr. Guleria.
On the likelihood that Covid-19 XBB 1.16 may trigger a new wave of cases in the coming days
he stated, “You may see a jump in the number of cases,” albeit they may go unreported at first because people were initially so worried that they would get themselves checked.
“Today, the majority of people don’t get themselves tested even if they have flu-like symptoms. Some people use the quick antigen test, and even when the results are positive, they choose not to disclose it. Hence, the figure we are actually reporting may be lower than the figure actually present in the community “explained he.
Dr. Guleria recommended persons
who test positive report the information since doing so enables government officials and policymakers to truly know the number of instances, make decisions, and develop strategies. Hence, even if there is a surge, there is no cause for concern as long as it does not result in hospitalization or fatalities, he said.
In order to adopt containment techniques and other public health measures on time, he said there is a need for active surveillance at the hospital and community levels to determine whether there is a rise in the number of cases and hospital admissions.
Cases of Covid-19 in India
The number of new coronavirus cases in India on Wednesday was 1,134, the highest number in 138 days. The number of active cases nationwide rose to 7026, but five more fatalities brought the total to 5,30,813.
A high-level meeting on the Covid-19 and H3N2 issue is held by PM Modi
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over a high-level meeting to assess the Covid-19 and influenza situation in the nation with regard to the readiness of the health infrastructure and logistics, the state of the vaccination campaign, the emergence of new coronavirus variants, and the implications for the nation’s public health. He gave instructions to officials to use the approved INSACOG Genome Sequencing Facilities to improve Whole Genome Sequencing of Positive Samples. According to him, this will enable the tracking of any future versions and prompt response.
In addition, PM Modi underlined the need for everyone
including patients, staff, and visitors to hospitals, to follow COVID-19 best practices, which includes donning masks. He also emphasized the need for masks when older people and people with co-morbidities enter crowded spaces. The COVID-19 epidemic is “far from done,” according to PM Modi Prime Minister Modi has ordered officials to effectively monitor IRI/SARI cases and conduct tests for influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and adenoviruses.
Together with the availability of enough beds and medical personnel
he emphasized the need to make sure that health facilities have the necessary drugs and logistics for influenza and Covid-19. He emphasized that the Covid-19 outbreak is far from over and that ongoing monitoring of the situation across the nation is necessary. The five-step Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination and Covid Appropriate Behaviour plan should continue to be prioritized, according to PM Modi. Lab surveillance should also be improved, and all instances of Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) should be tested.
He recommended holding mock drills frequently
to make sure that our hospitals were prepared for any emergencies. The high-level review discussion took place against a backdrop of an increase in Covid-19 instances and influenza infections over the previous two weeks throughout the nation.
Read More: Delhi Budget, 3 double-decker flyovers will be built to ease traffic congestion
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