As 96 countries had reported Omicron cases, the Government had identified the risk countries and imposed restrictions on travelers coming from there.
representational image (iStock photo)
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today said India was well-prepared to meet the Omicron threat with adequate supplies of medicines, ventilators, oxygen and genome sequencing labs across the country.
He was replying to a debate on the situation arising out of cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 virus in the country, raised by G K Vasan (Tamil Manila Congress-M) on 15th December.
Mandaviya said the country had reported 161 cases, out of which 13 per cent were mild cases, 80 per cent asymptomatic and 44 per cent of patients had recovered and gone home.
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The Government was undertaking daily monitoring of the situation with States, he said. The States had adequate stocks of medicines, 48,000 ventilators in good condition were supplied to States and oxygen production was also increased.
The Health Minister said there were 38 genome sequencing labs in the country. The Omicron cases were spread over several States. Lessons learnt from the earlier waves of Covid-19 were being kept in view.
As 96 countries had reported Omicron cases, the Government had identified the risk countries and imposed restrictions on travellers coming from there.
Mandaviya said the country had already set records in the vaccination programme. So far, 137 crore doses were administered and there was a record of 2.5 crore doses administered in one day. Eighty-eight per cent population had received one dose and over 50 per cent both doses.
The monthly production of vaccinations was 31 crore and it would increase to 45 crores in two months, he said. There were stocks of 17 crore vaccinations with States.
The Health Minister said eight members had spoken during the discussion. It would have been better if the Opposition too had participated in the debate instead of raising slogans and disturbing the House.
He said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push that the country was able to expedite research for an indigenous vaccination against Covid-19 and it was produced in nine months
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