In the context of the recent identification of novel variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus globally, senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) convened a review meeting on Monday to evaluate the current scenario. Led by P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, the high-level gathering aimed to assess the worldwide and domestic COVID-19 landscape, the emergence of new variants, and their potential impact on public health.
It was emphasized that while the global count of new COVID-19 cases stood at 296,219 over the past week, India, accounting for nearly 17 percent of the global population, registered only 223 cases (0.075 percent of the global new cases) during the same period. PM Hails India’s Remarkable COVID-19 Vaccination Drive on a Global Scale.
Statistics revealed that the daily average of new cases remained consistently below 50 across the entire nation, accompanied by a weekly test positivity rate of less than 0.2 percent. Additionally, insights into the genome sequencing of various virus variants circulating in India were presented.
Following thorough discussions, Mishra underscored that while the COVID-19 situation in the country remains stable and the healthcare systems are well-prepared, states need to actively monitor trends related to Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases. This involves sending ample samples for testing, intensifying genome sequencing efforts, and closely observing emerging global variants.
The Health Secretary provided a comprehensive overview of the global COVID-19 landscape, including the identification of newer SARS-CoV-2 variants such as BA.2.86 (Pirola) and EG.5 (Eris) that have surfaced worldwide.
He emphasized that, as per the World Health Organization (WHO), EG.5 (Eris) has been documented in over 50 countries, whereas the BA.2.86 (Pirola) variant has been reported in four countries. The meeting was attended by prominent figures including Vinod Paul, Member of Niti Aayog; Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary; Amit Khare, Advisor to PMO; Sudhansh Pant, Health Secretary; and other senior officials.
