Will increase COVID testing from 100 to 600 per day: Chandigarh Health Secy

Chandigarh [India], December 21 : Health Secretary Chandigarh Yashpal Garg on Wednesday said that the administration would increase testing to 600 per day in view of the guidelines from the Centre regarding COVID-19 cases.
"Central government has already instructed to keep track of COVID cases and related trends. We will increase testing from 100 to 600 per day. We are taking precautions, I appeal to people to get vaccinated soon," Yashpal Garg, Health Secretary told ANI.
"If required we will increase the tests. There are chances of an increase in cases when the testing is increased. There is no need to worry as of now. We are taking precautions. We will also send samples for genome sequencing to keep track of the variants," he said.
"We also have stocks of medicines, oxygen and beds. I appeal to people who have not taken the booster dose or if not taken their first and second doses they should get vaccinated soon. We have a vaccination camp going on in sector 16," the Health Secretary added.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday chaired a review meeting of top health officials and experts on the Covid situation in the country and directed officials to be alert and strengthen surveillance amid a surge in coronavirus cases globally.
"COVID is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation," tweeted Union Health Minister after the meeting.
Reports of the sudden rise in Covid cases in China, Japan, the US and Brazil among other countries have surfaced.
Ahead of today's meeting that commenced at 11:30 am, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar said the meeting has been convened to discuss the situation of Covid-19 in other countries and what needs to be done for India.
The physical meeting commenced at 11:30 am on Wednesday.
"Yesterday's guidelines were issued for doing genome sequencing," Pawar told mediapersons.
Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog at the end of the today's meeting said: "Only 27-28 per cent of people have taken precaution dose. We appeal to others, especially senior citizens, to take precaution dose. Precaution dose is mandated and guided to everyone."
He also urged people tp use mask in crowded spaces, indoors or outdoors. "This is all the more important for people with comorbidities or are of higher age," Paul said.
Those who attended today's meeting included Secretaries of health, Ayush, the department of pharmaceuticals and department of biotechnology, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Rajiv Bahl, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog V K Paul and National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) Chairman N L Arora, Secretary in Department of biotechnology Dr Rajesh Gokhale and MoHFW DGHS Dr Atul Goel.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Wednesday in a letter to States and Union Territories had said that in view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, USA, Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track variants through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network.
"All states are requested to ensure that as far as possible samples of all positive cases, on a daily basis, are sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) that are mapped to the States and UTs," said Union Health Secretary.