Health ministry urges states to ensure oxygen and ventilator readiness as active Covid cases jump to 4000 plus

June 4, 2025 by News Desk

All states have been instructed to ensure the availability of oxygen, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines in view of rising Covid-19 cases, official sources said on Wednesday.

A series of technical review meetings were held on June 2 and 3 under the chairpersonship of Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Sunita Sharma. The meetings included representatives from the Disaster Management Cell, Emergency Management Response (EMR) Cell, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), central government hospitals in Delhi, and representatives from all states and Union Territories.

These discussions were aimed at evaluating the current Covid situation and preparedness measures.

According to sources, state and district surveillance units under IDSP are closely monitoring cases of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI).

“Testing is recommended for all admitted SARI cases and 5 percent of ILI cases as per guidelines. Positive SARI samples are being sent for Whole Genome Sequencing through the ICMR VRDL network,” an official source said.

As of June 4, India reported 4,302 active Covid cases, marking an increase of 864 in the past 24 hours. Most of these cases are reportedly mild and being managed through home care.

Since January 1, a total of 44 deaths have been reported, primarily among individuals with pre-existing illnesses.

“States have been instructed to ensure availability of oxygen, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines,” the source reiterated.

A mock drill assessing oxygen supply systems — including PSA plants, LMO tanks, and MGPS lines — was conducted on June 2. Facility-level preparedness mock drills are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Officials have advised people to practise hand hygiene, follow cough etiquette, and avoid crowded places when unwell. Individuals experiencing acute respiratory illness should self-monitor and seek medical care if symptoms worsen.

They also urged the public to rely only on trusted sources like the Health Ministry’s website and PIB releases to avoid misinformation and rumors.

“The Union Health Ministry continues to closely monitor the situation and remains committed to ensuring public health safety through timely interventions and effective communication,” the source said. PTI