India records surge in COVID-19 cases; nationwide mock drills to gauge hospital readiness start today

On April 10 and 11, a nationwide mock drill will be staged to assess hospital preparedness in light of the increase in Covid-19 cases. Both public and commercial facilities are anticipated to take part. Officials announced on Sunday that Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister of Health, will visit AIIMS, Jhajjar on April 10 to supervise the mock drill.

Mandaviya had ordered state health ministers to visit hospitals and observe the mock drills during a review meeting on April 7. Mandaviya emphasized the need to pinpoint emergency hotspots during the meeting by tracking trends in instances of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), stepping up testing and vaccination campaigns, and ensuring that hospital infrastructure is prepared.

According to information provided by the city government's health department, Delhi recorded 699 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with a positive rate of 21.15 percent. In the city, four COVID-19 victims passed away. The health advisory, however, noted that COVID-19 was the main factor in only one fatality.

The matter of a mask mandate has been addressed, according to Delhi government officials, but a final decision is still pending in light of the country's recent increase in Covid-19 cases.

Face masks would be required in the entire state "at all public venues, where there is a gathering of more than 100 people, government offices, malls, etc.," the government of neighboring Haryana announced on Friday.

Mock exercises are conducted at hospitals amid a surge in Covid cases

As the number of COVID-19 patients in Madhya Pradesh continued to rise, a mock drill was held on Monday to evaluate and confirm the appropriate provisions for their care.

The Health Department assessed the current hospital setups and staged mock exercises in the state's largest cities as directed by the federal government.

The state has 170 active cases in total, with 32 new cases reported in the previous 24 hours, according to the state health bulletin. The highest of nine cases were discovered in Bhopal, the state capital, bringing the total number of active cases in the city to 69. 5.4% of the state's population identified as positive.

According to Delhi's health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, there would be a sharp increase in COVID cases over the next several days due to the recent spike in instances. However, he stated that although the municipal government is on high alert, the new strain is not producing "serious ailments" and that it is fully prepared to manage any emergencies that may arise.

"Covid instances will increase in the national capital in the coming days since it is a heavily populated state with flu and influenza-like symptoms," Saurabh Bhardwaj told news agency ANI. And he encouraged those who had such symptoms to stay away from busy areas and to wear masks in case of an emergency.