Bengal CM holds meeting with officials of various departments amid rising cases of COVID, advices citizens to remain cautious
Howrah (West Bengal) [India], June 9 (ANI): Amid rising COVID cases, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with senior officials of every department and adviced citizens to remain cautious and not to get panicked. She said that all facilities were available in government hospitals.
CM Mamata Banerjee said, 'We are hoping that the pandemic won't be repeated. We have conducted a meeting today with senior officials of every department, including Panchayat, Urban, Municipalities, DME, DHS, Health Department, MSME, Police Department, Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and Kolkata Corporation. We have to be careful. There is no need to panic. We have to be prepared. Those who have comorbidities should consult the doctor. Government is always standing with them. Try to get treatment in a government hospital. It will not cost much. All the facilities are available in the government hospital. Now, the anti-COVID-19 vaccine is available. Everyone is vaccinated. We did the meeting to be cautious in future.'
She further said that the situation is not severe at this point.
'There are 4 to 5 thousand cases in the country. This is a kind of influenza,' she added.
Another health expert present said that this was a subvariant of the omicron virus, and this was not a variant of concern. 'It was like a normal cough and cold and the wave would be over soon,' he said.
According to the Union Health Ministry's data, 59 deaths have been reported since January 1, 2025. States have been instructed to ensure oxygen availability, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines.
Given the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in India, a series of technical review meetings were held on June 2 and 3 with various representatives under the chairpersonship of Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services (DGHS).
According to an official statement, the representatives include Disaster Management Cell, Emergency Management Response (EMR) Cell, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and Central Government Hospitals in Delhi and with representatives from all States and UTs to evaluate the current COVID-19 situation and preparedness measures. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
US Health Secretary RFK Jr fires entire CDC vaccine advisory panel
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the CDC's vaccine advisory panel, sparking criticism from top medical bodies. He says the move is aimed at restoring public trust, but experts warn it could damage confidence in vaccines. read more US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. on Monday removed all 17 members of a key vaccine advisory panel at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), promising to replace them with his own appointees within two weeks. The move sparked criticism from major medical groups, who said it undermines trust in vaccine science. Kennedy, previously known for his anti-vaccine views, argued in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the panel members had conflicts of interest and that a 'clean sweep' was necessary to rebuild public confidence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The panel, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), was filled during the Biden administration and is typically considered nonpartisan. Critics say Kennedy broke promises not to interfere with the panel and worry his future picks won't be seen as impartial. Dr. Georges Benjamin of the American Public Health Association called the ouster 'a coup' and said the group would closely monitor Kennedy's actions. Dr. Bruce Scott of the American Medical Association warned the decision could lead to lower vaccination rates and more disease outbreaks. The committee had already faced delays under Kennedy's leadership, including the sudden cancellation of a February meeting and changes to COVID-19 guidance without consulting the panel. The CDC's webpage listing the panel members was taken down Monday evening after the announcement.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Covid situation in control, no need to panic: PMC
Despite a noticeable uptick in the number of Covid-19 cases recently, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials claim that the situation in the city is under control and there is no need to panic. Civic officials said that existing Covid management protocols will continue to be followed. On Monday, the PMC held a review meeting to assess the Covid-19 situation in the city. The meeting was chaired by additional municipal commissioner M J Pradeep Chandran, and attended by representatives from the PMC health department, public health officials, and the Rapid Response Task Force. Experts from key institutions such as the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), National Institute of Virology (NIV), B J Medical College (BJMC), and private hospitals also attended the meeting, according to officials. The RRT members said that the current virus strain in circulation is mild and no deaths have been reported in the city. The PMC till date has sent 145 Covid samples for genome sequencing and no new variant has been found. Besides, patients hospitalised with influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) will be tested for Covid. Dr Nina Borade, health chief of the PMC, said, 'The Covid situation in the city is under control and the situation is not alarming. However, experts have stressed that individuals in high-risk categories, with existing co-morbid conditions should take precautions. We have asked all private hospitals to test SARI and ILI patients for Covid.' As per the statement issued by the public health department, Maharashtra on Monday reported 65 fresh Covid cases with 26 from areas under the PMC, 22 from Mumbai, and two from areas under the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Since January, 1,504 Covid cases and 18 deaths amongst the infected have been reported. Furthermore, there are 613 active Covid-19 cases in the state. Since January, Mumbai has reported 687 cases, 681 of which were reported in May alone, said Dr Babita Kamlapurkar, joint director of health services. Dr Kamlapurkar said that instructions have been issued to all officers in the divisional, district, and municipal corporations across the state during the Covid-19 review meeting. 'Surveillance for ILI and SARI patients is being conducted regularly, with 5% of these patients being asked to undergo testing for Covid-19. All Covid-positive samples are sent for whole genome sequencing. Additionally, all healthcare facilities under the public health department, medical colleges within the medical education department, and hospitals and medical colleges in urban areas are directed to be prepared for Covid-19 testing and treatment,' she said.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
CM: Cov is now endemic, Bengal is fully prepared
1 2 Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged people not to panic over the current Covid situation, reminding them that the pandemic had now turned endemic. "That means it's a manageable local health issue, not a global emergency. We must learn to live with it responsibly. We saw a handful of 4,000-5,000 cases across the country. It is a type of influenza, an Omicron virus. People should not be afraid. Normalcy is there. But precautions should be taken on a personal level," the CM said. "Bengal is fully prepared." Banerjee chaired an emergency meeting on Covid with chief secretary Manoj Pant, health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, DGP Rajeev Kumar, KP commissioner Manoj Verma and minister Chandrima Bhattacharya among others on Monday at Nabanna. "I held review meetings with all departments. If needed, we may resume testing and advise mask use. But for now, we are not implementing any new guidelines," said Banerjee. "Bengal has been a frontrunner in vaccination. That's why there's no reason to worry, but we must act responsibly." She urged people to stay clear of rumours on social media and trust only official govt sources. "Don't create panic. For those who have comorbidities... sometimes age is also a factor... we have arrangements. Now, we have the anti-Covid vaccine, and many are inoculated. We held the meeting to be prepared for the future so that people don't face any problem. We are not taking any decision now because such a situation has not arisen," Banerjee reiterated. The CM said cold, cough and sore throat were often mistaken for Covid, causing fear. "We get scared when we hear the word, 'Covid'. But the Covid situation in Bengal is under control. If you have a cold or cough, consult a doctor, but don't panic," the CM advised. "The govt will stand by you. Get treated at govt hospitals so that you don't have to pay a hefty amount unnecessarily."
