PATNA: State health minister Mangal Pandey has said that no variant of the
Covid-19 virus has been found in any of the positive cases detected to date.
In an exclusive conversation with this newspaper on Saturday, Pandey said the state government would continue to be on high alert on this issue and added that the health department is working round the clock to check the spread of the virus. Leaves of all health workers, including doctors, have already been cancelled till April 5.
Pandey admitted that there is a surge in the
Covid cases but said it is mainly due to a large number of people returning home from other states to celebrate the festival of
Holi with their families.
The government has deputed teams at the airport, railway stations and bus stands for
random testing.
"Our work plan to fight the Covid challenge is focussed around three Ts - test, trace and treat," the minister said, adding, the number of tests has increased to about 50 thousand per day.
Simultaneously, the pace of vaccination has increased to about one lakh daily, and over 25 lakh people vaccinated in the state.
The minister said more vaccination centres would come up as inoculation of those above 45 is to begin from April. "We may include some new private hospitals having the cold chain facility for proper storage of the vaccines in the list of immunisation centres," he added.
Replying to a query on villages are reporting lesser cases, Pandey said being higher in population density people of urban localities were more susceptible to get infected with the Covid virus.
He said the surge in the number of positive cases in some parts of the country has warranted the need for more awareness campaigns in Bihar. "All districts have been asked to do campaign using loudspeakers, hoardings and banners, urging people to follow the use of masks, social distancing and seek medical help in case of Covid-related symptoms," he added.