COVID Surge: Haryana Makes Wearing Mask Compulsory In Crowded Places, Hospitals

In an announcement, the Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij made wearing masks  compulsory for healthcare workers and for areas where gathering can go over 100 people. The minister was reportedly attending a meeting with other senior health department officials. The announcement has come after an observed surge in the cases of COVID across the state and the country.

Apart from face masks, the minister informed that a COVID test will be mandatory for patients who might turn up in hospitals with symptoms such as cold and cough. Also, directions have also been given for the genome sequencing of patients who might test positive for COVID. The minister also said that wearing a mask and following COVID appropriate behaviour will be mandatory for doctors and paramedics who are working in different healthcare units in the state. The same behaviour shall be expected from attendants of patients who might visit healthcare facilities alongside them.

As per reports, in case of testing COVID positive, the person will have to isolate for seven days and if there be any complications, the information will have to be provided to nearby health facility.

As per reports, Haryana reported COVID  cases on Tuesday, 57 of them from Gurugram alone.

India on Monday reported 3,641 infections, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. On Saturday, it reported 3,824 new Covid-19 infections, the biggest single-day rise in about 184 days.

The Omicron variant XBB.1.16 is believed to be behind the sudden surge of the cases.

According to Dr Randeep Guleria (Chairman, Institute of Internal Medicine and Respiratory and Sleep Medicine and Director-Medical Education), Medanta: “The new variant along with other factors, which include a decrease in COVID appropriate behaviour and a change in weather — makes us more susceptible to respiratory conditions. We might see a mild wave happening, but by and large it will be mild and cause mild disease, not severe and not really result in hospitalisations.”

Reportedly, as per a WHO expert,  there are 800 sequences of Omicron variant XBB.1.16 from 22 countries. Most of the sequences are from India and in India XBB.1.16 has replaced the other variants that are in circulation.