Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has written a letter to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asking to adhere the COVID-19 guidelines strictly during the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

"Follow the COVID guidelines strictly during Bharat Jodo Yatra which is going on in Rajasthan. Use of masks-sanitiser should be implemented. Only vaccinated people should participate," Mandviya said in the letter written on Tuesday.

Mandaviya has asked to suspend the yatra if the COVID-19 safety protocols are not followed.

"If following COVID protocol is not possible then the Bharat Jodo Yatra be suspended in the national interest, taking note of the public health emergency," the letter further stated.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "I want to ask BJP did PM Modi follow COVID protocols during Gujarat Polls? I think Mansukh Mandaviya is not liking Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra but people are liking it and joining it. Mandaviya has been deputed to divert the public's attention."

Notably, the Yatra observed its last day in Rajasthan on Tuesday and entered Haryana today.

According to information, the health minister will hold a meeting with senior officials and experts on the COVID-19 situation in the country today.

ln view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, USA, Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track variants through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network, writes Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan to States and Union Territories.

"All states are requested to ensure that as far as possible samples of all positive cases, on a daily basis, are sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) that are mapped to the States and UTs," said Union Health Secretary.