Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will review COVID-19 situation of five states on Saturday amid the surge in cases. He will also review public health preparedness as well as response measures being taken in the context of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. The meeting will be held at 3 pm today virtually.

Earlier on Friday, Mandaviya conducted a high-level meeting with Southern states and UT`s Health Minister`s and stressed upon e-Sanjeevani, teleconsultation, Monitoring home isolation and increasing RTPCR in States which are reporting lower percentage testing.

The State Health Ministers who joined the high-level review meeting included Dr K Sudhakar (Karnataka), Dr Veena George (Kerala), Ma Subramaniam (Tamil Nadu) and Thanneeru Harish Rao (Telangana).

Mandaviya also requested the states to accelerate the pace of vaccination of the 15-17 years age group and those whose second dose is due.

Earlier, he conducted a high-level meeting with nine Northern States and UTs and advised them to send Covid testing and vaccination data timely.

The Union Health Minister 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."