Bhubaneswar: Keeping in view the rising trend of new Omicron variants of COVID-19 in some countries, the Odisha Government has decided to issue an advisory asking people to adhere to COVID appropriate behaviour to prevent the spread of the virus.
A review meeting on COVID-19 management was held on Friday under the chairmanship of Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department in Conference Hall of Loka Seva Bhavan.
An advisory will be issued for people adhering to COVID appropriate behaviour voluntarily, such as use of mask, hand washing, self isolation for symptomatic, avoid in spitting in public places, the Health Department informed after meeting.
Fever clinics will continue in all health facilities across the State.
The State Government will also request the Ministry of Health to recommence the public vaccination programme for precaution dose vaccination, the Health Department stated.
Currently as MoHFW has ceased the public covid vaccination programme, all the vaccines are exhausted in government hospitals and are now available at 12 private health institutions on payment, it stated.
Countries like Japan, Republic of Korea, USA, France, Brazil, Germany and China are showing rise of COVID-19 cases in last two weeks. However, the situation in Odisha has remained stable with below fifteen cases per day since November, 2022 and on most of the days it is below 10 cases, the Health Department informed.
Hospitalization at present in the state is nil with active case load of 54 as on December 23.
The present testing level of 134 test per million is much higher than the country level of 109 per million. Also Odisha is testing 1552 samples to get one positive against India figure of 589 tests for one positive. In the above scenario the current testing and surveillance strategy for the state has to continue as per the ICMR guideline, the Health Department said.
The surveillance at Airports and Sea ports are to be guided by the advisory/ guidelines issued by the GoI from time to time. The state IDSP team will keep in close liaison with the Airport Authority and Ministry of Civil Aviation in this regard, it added.
At present ILS,BBSR and RMRC, BBSR are conducting Whole Genome Sequencing for the COVID positive cases as a part of INSACOG consortium. In the meantime a WGS facility has been set up in the Deptt. of Bio Chemistry of SCB MCH Cuttack. It was decided that SCB MCH will apply to INSACOG for affiliation of their WGS laboratory with INSACOG.
The reagent and consumables for the purpose will be supplied by OSMCL The Superintendent, SCB MCH, Cuttack shall provide a vehicle for sample transportation and the DoL for the above shall be met from PHRF. All districts are to take steps for sending all positive samples to ILS,BBSR and RMRC,BBSR through courier.
SCB MCH,MKCG MCH and VIMSAR,Burla will continue the present 20 bed capacity (15 oxygen support + 05 ICU) up to 31st March,2023. However, they will review the situation and can increase 20 beds at a time on saturation of 50% of beds with prior approval of DMET. All DHHs are to keep 10 oxygen support beds in readiness with adequate manpower from available resources to meet in emergency upsurge and requirement. No case of surgery, delivery and other essential health care should be denied in the name of COVID and all non COVID activities should continue to ensure health care delivery.
All district headquarter hospitals including Capital Hospital, BBSR, RGH, Rourkela & MC &Hs will undertake mock drill uniformly across the State on 27.12.2022, to ensure operational readiness for management of COVID with specific focus on oxygen plants, ventilators, logistics and human resources, it added.