Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a high-level meeting on Friday with the health ministers of southern states, Union territories to review the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation. He will also review public health measures taken in view of the Omicron variant of coronavirus. The Covid-19 review meet will be held virtually at 2.30pm, reports Hindustan Times.

The health ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands will attend the meeting, official sources told news agency ANI.

The meeting will also be attended by senior health officials. Earlier, Mandaviya conducted a high-level meeting with nine Northern States, UTs and advised to send Covid testing and vaccination data timely. He also said that testing should be ramped up in the States where it has gone down.

He also advised States and UTs to ensure that those in home isolation are efficiently monitored in line with the National Guidelines.

He said, "This will ensure that the vulnerable categories of active cases in home isolation get the required medical help in a timely manner."

The Union Health Minister re-emphasised the need for ramping up testing in the States and UTs. Those States/UTs that are showing a lower share of RTPCR testing were requested to ramp up tests through RTPCR. States and UTs were also reminded to keep a close watch on the emerging clusters and hotspots and monitor the trend of hospitalised cases along with the deaths in the state.

Dr Mandaviya said that with our past experience, 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and Adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour' along with monitoring of cases remains crucial for COVID management.

The Union Health Minister also urged the States and UTs to adopt the model for teleconsultation so as to enable beneficiaries to access expert advice from experts.

According to the Union Health Ministry, " Dr Mansukh Mandaviya urged the States and UTs to adopt the hub and spoke model and ensure that more and more centres of teleconsultations are opened. This will enable beneficiaries to access expert advice from experts stationed at the district hubs."

He also said that eSanjeevani has been able to provide services to more than 2.6 crore beneficiaries where people can seek medical advice from the confines of their homes.

"This will prove to be a game-changer and will be of immense value and importance for the hard-to-reach and far-flung areas, and especially in the northern regions in the current winter season."

Dr Mansukh Mandaviya also urged the 9 States and UTs to review and expedite the implementation of activities under the ECRP-II package for strengthening the health infrastructure.

He said, "Health Ministers and the State authorities to plug the existing gaps by efficiently utilizing the amount sanctioned for various infra projects. With strengthened health infrastructure, we can meet any health emergency and public health crisis with better preparedness."

Daily Covid infections in India dropped by 12 per cent as the country reported 2.51 lakh new cases on Friday. The positivity rate is down from 19.59% to 15.88% while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 17.47 per cent.