New Delhi: Former Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said that oxygen plants in rural areas need to be checked as stressed on ensuring sufficient supply for medicines, ventilators, and staff.


The remarks come as Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is slated to chair a review meeting for the COVID situation and preparedness in the state on Thursday afternoon. As per news agency ANI, the review meeting will be held before the state cabinet meeting in the evening. 


Amid growing concerns over the spread of Omicron subvariant BF.7, NCP MLA and former Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said, "We need to be alert in view of the outburst of Covid-19 in China, Brazil, and other countries. We need to strictly follow the advisory of the Central government and WHO and focus on tracking, testing, treatment, and Covid-appropriate behaviour."


"We made oxygen plants in rural areas but it needs to be checked whether they are in good condition now. I feel that there's a shortage of medicines too. Genome sequencing is important to know the variants. There shouldn't be a shortage of ventilators and staff," he added, as quoted by ANI.


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The Maharashtra health department asked all the district administrations and municipal corporations to increase COVID-19 tests, news agency PTI reported.


While the fatality rate and hospitalisation are going down in Maharashtra, COVID-19 cases are witnessing a surge in some countries, an official release informed on Wednesday.


In view of this, Maharashtra Health Minister Tanaji Sawant directed all the districts to follow a five-point programme -- test, track, treat, vaccinate and (ensure) COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, it stated.


The incumbent Health Minister on Wednesday held a meeting with health department officials of all the districts and municipal corporations. It was also attended by principal secretary, health, Sanjay Khandare and health services director Dr Sadhana Tayde.


The number of COVID-19 cases in the state is falling and this week the number of new cases dipped by 30 per cent compared to the previous week, the statement informed as per PTI.


The positivity rate has gone down by 0.29 per cent and in Akola, Pune, Ahmednagar and Jalgaon districts the rate is below one per cent.


Last week, 16 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals across the state and eight patients out of the 16 were shifted to ICU. The state is left with only 135 active COVID-19 patients, it stated.


Sawant asked all the district administrations and municipal corporations to increase COVID-19 tests, especially RT-PCR tests. He also directed them to send every RT-PCR affected (having CT value less than 30) swab sample for genome sequencing, for which seven laboratories are available in the state.


The minister also directed them to appoint a nodal officer for genome sequencing.


(With Agency Inputs)