China-Returnee Tests Positive in Agra, Centre Orders Covid Mock Drill to Focus on Preparedness
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Dec 25: Even as a 40-year old man who works in China tested Covid positive on his return on leave, the Centre has asked all the states and union territories to hold a mock drills at health facilities on Tuesday to re-oil the machinery to ensure swift response if the Covid cases surged again in the country like the first and second waves.
Official sources said on Sunday that Tuesday’s mock drill would focus on availability of beds, human resources, logistics and the supply chain of medical oxygen as the Covid spike in China has sets off an alarm in the country, particularly because of the pathetic situation the country aced over shortage of medical oxygen during the second wave. The second wave, had brought the health infrastructure to its knees, throwing up heart-rending scenes of patients struggling to breathe due to lack of medical oxygen and relatives running from pillar to post to find a hospital bed for their loved ones.
In a letter to all states and Union Territories, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said it was necessary that necessary health measures were in place in all states and Union Territories to tackle any emergency. “It has therefore been decided to hold mock drill at all health facilities (including identified COVID-dedicated health facilities) across the country on Tuesday, 27th December 2022,” the Ministry said.
The Health Secretary listed the key focus areas for the mock drills. The availability of beds, both for isolation and for life support, is high on the list. “Geographically representative availability of health facilities — covering all districts. Bed capacities — Isolation beds, oxygen-supported isolation beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds,” the letter said.
The mock drill would also focus on the human resources required to tackle any spike in Covid cases, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics. Sufficient number of AYUSH practitioners and frontline workers such as Anganwadi workers would also be assessed during the drill. The exercise would also check if these health workers are properly trained to handle Covid patients and medical oxygen supply.
The mock drill will also aim to boost Covid testing capacities by ensuring easy availability of RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Kits. Medical oxygen, a crisis of which had left lakhs gasping during the earlier waves of Covid, is a key focus area of this mock drill. “Medical oxygen: Oxygen Concentrators, Oxygen Cylinders, PSA Plants. Liquid Medical Oxygen Storage Tanks, Medical Gas Pipeline System etc,” the letter said, listing the priority issues.
The centre has already announced that RT-PCR test is now mandatory for passengers flying in from five countries, including China. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said the centre and states need to work in “tandem” and in a “collaborative spirit” like they did during the previous spikes.
Though the number of daily new cases was still very low in the country, only 200 fresh Covid cases recorded on Saturday, the detection of a Covid positive case of a China-returnee has sets off alarm among the authorities. The 40-year old man has been isolated at his home in Agra but much before the detection, he had been freely mixing with people on his return on leave more than a week ago.
The Agra chief medical officer (CMO) Dr AK Srivastava said the sample has been sent to Lucknow for genome sequencing to know the variant. The man working in China came to Agra on a leave and is asymptomatic at present and isolated at his house in Shahganj locality of Agra. This is the first Covid positive case reported since November 25 in the city and is the only active case here. “Those who had been in contact with the man returning from China are being asked to get themselves tested for Covid,” said a health official in Agra.
Meanwhile, testing has been stepped up at the Agra railway station, bus stands and airport following the Centre’s guidelines to states. Most hotels in Agra are packed ahead of the New Year celebrations. Health authorities in Agra have begun screening visitors at the Taj Mahal and other monuments in wake of the new Covid scare, focusing their efforts mainly on foreign tourists.
Mainly tourists from the US, China, Japan and Brazil and European countries are being screened and their samples collected at tourist sites, including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Akbar’s Tomb. Srivastava stressed the ‘Trace, Test and Treat’ policy to tackle the new variant. He also appealed to residents to wear masks and follow physical-distancing norms.
