Amid a sharp spike in Covid cases in the country, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday directed officials to facilitate use of railway hospitals and health infrastructure for the general public.

He issued the directions during a virtual review meeting, which was attended by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Railway Board, V K Tripathi, the board's members, ministry officials and senior zonal officials, a statement said.

India saw a single-day rise of 1,79,723 coronavirus infections taking the total tally to 3,57,07,727, including 4,033 cases of the Omicron variant reported across 27 states and union territories so far, according to data updated by the Union health ministry on Monday.

The number of active cases has increased to 7,23,619, the highest in around 204 days, while the death toll has climbed to 4,83,936 with 146 fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

During the meeting, Vaishnaw reviewed preparedness of railway hospitals, their infrastructure and functioning of their paediatric wards, as well as status of Covid vaccination among railway staff and their family members.

He also laid stress on vaccination of children between 15-18 years and on precautionary doses for frontline workers.

The minister took stock of availability of medicines, oxygen supply, zeolite stock and other necessary medical support and functioning of ventilators, liquid medical oxygen tanks, and other equipment which are critical in Covid treatment, the statement said .

The railways has commissioned 78 oxygen plants in view of the Covid situation and 17 more are to be commissioned.

The minister also urged officials to increase the frequency of announcements at railway stations about masking up, sanitisation of hands and other precautionary measures, and discouraging entry of people without mask at stations.

He also reviewed the running of special trains in case of emergency or sudden surge in number of passengers or migrants at stations during the current phase of the pandemic.