The health minister Dhan Singh Rawat has said that the health department of Uttarakhand is alert and completely prepared to deal with the threat posed by the new variant of Covid-19.  He made the claim while attending a high level meeting of the health ministers of the country on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by the union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya and was held to discuss the challenge posed by the new variant of Covid-19.  In the meeting the union minister asked the States to take immediate measures in view of the arrival of a new variant of Covid-19. He stressed on better coordination between the state in dealing with the disease.

 The health minister of Uttarakhand who was in New Delhi attended the meeting in the union health ministry while the ministers of other states attended the meeting in a virtual mode.

He said that in view of an increase in cases of influenza the State health department is on an alert mode and necessary guidelines have been issued for the chief medical officers. The officers have been asked to ensure that RT- PCR and antigen tests of maximum numbers of people are done. He said that though the State has not reported any case of new variant of Covid-19, regular monitoring of Influenza like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) is being done. Rawat said that the State has 5,893 oxygen supported beds, 1204 ICU beds, 894 ICU beds with ventilators, 7,561 oxygen concentrators, 93 active PSA plants and 807 active LMO storage tanks.  Rawat said that the state is capable of ensuring proper supply and storage of medicines, oxygen cylinders, ventilators and vaccines with the help of the union government. He added that a mock drill will soon be organised in the State to check the preparedness of the health system.

 The minister of states (MoS) SPS Baghel, Bharti Pawar and senior officers of the health ministry attended the meeting.