'Bengal fully prepared to combat any fresh wave of COVID-19'

MP | 24 Dec 2022 | Kolkata: State government on Friday assured the Centre that they are ready to combat if there is a surge in Covid cases. Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a virtual meeting with various state governments on Friday in which Minister of state for health Chandrima Bhattacharya took part. 

State has told the Centre that they have already disbursed a fund of Rs 360 crore for strengthening infrastructure in the hospitals. Permanent Covid wards are being constructed in various districts which include Hooghly, Diamond Harbour, Bankura, and Nadia. Around 16 Covid wards are coming up having 100 beds each while 4 Covid wards will be set up with 50 beds. 

More than 100 more wards will be constructed having 20 beds each. State government also informed the Centre that it has asked all the civic bodies to remain alert. Bengal has asked the Centre how far the available Covid vaccines will be effective to check the new variant. State government during the meeting also pointed out that there is no point in spreading unnecessary fear among the people. The Union Health minister said a mock drill to test the Covid emergency preparedness would be conducted in hospitals across the country on Tuesday, 27th December. 

It aims to check emergency responses to deal with Covid cases. The Union Ministry of Health already advised states to significantly increase genome sequencing. 

Following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's instruction the State Health department formed a 5-member expert committee which will look into Covid situation in Bengal and maintain surveillance. It will be checked whether the Ganga Sagar pilgrims have vaccination certificates. Those who do not have certificates may be vaccinated. According to a health department official, vaccination is going on at 125 centers including the private ones.

The state may place requisition before the Centre for fresh doses if the demand goes up. Only around 25 per cent of the people in the state have received booster doses so far. Out of 7.5 crore adult population in the state, around 96 per cent people have received the first dose while 84 per cent received the second dose. Centre has told the states to ensure that RTPCR is conducted on the people coming to various airports from countries like Japan, Thailand, China, and Korea. 

State health department has already issued directives saying that Covid tests must be performed on the patients who come to the hospital with respiratory distress. City's Mayor Firhad Hakim on Friday said that they are ready to combat the situation. He also said that there is nothing to worry about as of now. There are adequate vaccination centers opened by the KMC and footfall is much less. He said that Covishield stock has been exhausted. State on Friday registered 5 Covid cases. 

No death was reported on Friday as well. After 3 years, Bengal witnessed zero single day Covid cases on Sunday while on Monday only one case had been reported. The total active cases stood at 47 on Friday. 

Recovery rate has gone up to 98.98 per cent. Around 39 patients are in home isolation whereas only 8 patients are undergoing treatment at hospital. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/bengal-fully-prepared-to-combat-any-fresh-wave-of-covid-19-503229