'Need to be cautious, proactive': PM Modi chairs meeting amid concerns over Omicron variant

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting amid rising concerns over a new Covid variant detected in South Africa.
At the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed about the new Covid strain 'Omicron', which was first detected in southern Africa and has dubbed as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).
PM Modi told officials there is a need to be proactive in light of the new variant and said that people should be more cautious and must take proper precautions such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing, the PMO said in a statement.
"PM highlighted the need for monitoring all international arrivals, their testing as per guidelines, with a specific focus on countries identified ‘at risk’," the PMO said.
The Prime Minister also asked officials to review plans for easing of international travel restrictions in light of the emerging new evidence.
He said that efforts for genome sequencing must also be boosted and should be more broad-based.
"He (PM Modi) directed that intensive containment and active surveillance should continue in clusters reporting higher cases and required technical support be provided to states which are reporting higher cases presently. PM also asked that awareness needs to be created about ventilation and air-borne behaviour of the virus," the statement said.
During the meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours, the Prime Minister was also briefed about the global trends of Covid infections and cases. The officials highlighted that various countries across the world have witnessed multiple surges of the virus since the onset of the pandemic.
The officials apprised the Prime Minister of the progress in vaccination and the efforts being made under the "Har Ghar Dastak" campaign.
"PM directed that there is a need to increase the second dose coverage and that states need to be sensitised on the need to ensure that all those who have got the first dose are given the second dose timely," the PMO said.
The meeting was attended by cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, P K Mishra, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan and NITI Aayog member (health) Dr V K Paul among others.
India saw a single-day rise of 8,318 new coronavirus infections, taking the country's total tally of Covid-19 cases to 3,45,63,749, while the count of active cases has declined to 1,07,019, the lowest in 541 days, according to Union health ministry data updated on Saturday.