LUCKNOW: With 48 patients in India contracting the Delta Plus variant of coronavirus, considered more transmissible and lethal, chief minister Yogi Adityanath sought ramping up the pace of testing and directed more samples be sent for genome sequencing.
Also, the government has set up an expert panel of doctors to suggest steps to contain spread of the new Covid variant.
At the Team-9 meeting on Friday, the chief minister directed the health department to “adopt a proactive and multi-faceted approach and formulate a stringent action plan” for districts to blunt the mutated variant.
Samples which test positive for Covid would be sent for genome sequencing to decode the DNA footprint of the mutated virus.
A senior official said, a state health expert advisory committee has drawn up a strategy to tackle the scourge and directed largescale sample collection in districts bordering Madhya Pradesh, where cases of the new variant have been identified.
While KGMU in Lucknow is already carrying out genome sequencing, the health department has been directed to provide necessary infrastructure at KGMU and Benaras Hindu University for genome sequencing.
Random testing has been ramped up at bus stands, railway stations and airports, with a heightened vigil on flyers coming from Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, which have reported Delta Plus infections.
Gearing up for a possible third Covid wave, the health department has been asked to expedite setting up paediatric and neo-natal ICUs in keeping with the warning that children could be more vulnerable.
The chief minister said, all necessary equipment, including Bipap machines and mobile X-ray machines should be made available at hospitals.
“The government will also conduct door-to-door distribution of special medicine kits with syrups and chewable tablets for children displaying influenza-like symptoms.
This will be undertaken by over 4 lakh members of more than 60,569 surveillance committees in rural areas from June 27.
To create awareness on preventive measures, posters will be put up at public places,” the official said.