Amid surge in COVID-19 cases in China Health Minister asks Rahul Gandhi to follow guidelines or postpone Bharat Jodo Yatra

The Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, wrote a letter to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, requesting that he follow the COVID-19 protocol during the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra ' and that if it was not possible to follow the protocol, the Yatra be postponed in the national interest, taking note of a public health emergency.

Amid the recent spurt of Covid-19 infections in countries including China, the Union Health Secretary has written to the states and Union territories. The health authorities have been asked to gear up whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track variants through Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network.

"ln view of sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, USA, Korea, Brazil & China, it's essential to gear up whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track variants through Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network," Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in the letter.

China's Covid cases blast

After the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, China is experiencing a massive surge in coronavirus cases. Hospitals are completely overwhelmed in China, according to Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and health economist.

The epidemiologist estimates that more than 60 per cent of China and 10 per cent of Earth's population are likely to be infected over the next 90 days with deaths likely in the millions.

One of Beijing's designated crematoria for COVID-19 patients has been flooded with dead bodies in recent days as the virus sweeps through the Chinese capital, offering an early hint at the human cost of the country's abrupt loosening of pandemic restrictions, reported Wall Street Journal (WSJ)