Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed the health department officials to keep a strict vigil on the number of COVID cases in the State.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to keep the state machinery ready to meet any possible surge in COVID-19 cases.

The Chief Minister was presiding over a meeting of Health Officers to review the COVID situation in the State. He said that the strengthening of genome sequencing of positive case samples must also be ensured. He said that a special vigil must be kept to persuade the visitors to adopt COVID-appropriate behaviour during their stay in the State.

Sukhu said that people with flu-like symptoms must be tested for COVID so that treatment can be started at the earliest. He said that adequate testing must be ensured in the health institutions in the State.

Principal Secretary Health Subhasish Panda informed the Chief Minister that there were over 2,526 dedicated beds with oxygen and 2,046 dedicated COVID beds in the State. He said that efforts would be made to ensure sufficient availability of COVID vaccines.

There were only 28 active COVID cases in the State out of which only three were hospitalised, officials informed the CM.

(With inputs from ANI)