Health Ministry identifies 22 potential COVID-19 hotspots

The Union Health Ministry on Thursday identified 20 existing and 22 potential hotspots in the country while also asserting that there is no evidence of widespread community transmission of COVID-19.

The ministry stated this in an advisory issued to the states on mobilisation and training of human resource for management of the viral outbreak.

"Although there is no evidence of widespread community transmission, 20 existing and 22 potential hotspots have been identified. The containment measures to break the cycle of transmission and clinical management of those affected would require large human resources," it stated.

The ministry said that enhanced deployment of human resources is required in clinical management, surveillance, psycho-social care, management of quarantine, isolation facilities, logistics and supply chain.

It said that human resources pooled from various sources will be assigned for such roles. "Such identified HR needs to be trained online using online training programs developed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW)," it stated.

Each state has been directed to identify and designate a nodal officer for training. The officer will coordinate all training activities in the state.

For COVID-19 management, the district administration will also pool-in the requisite human resources.

"Such pooled human resources would stay in the containment zone till the containment operations are over," the minister further added in the document.

The advisory added, "For isolation areas, in addition to training all hospital staff, dentists and AYUSH practitioners available should also be trained. Retired doctors and other healthcare professionals should be identified to work in non-covid areas."

It stated quarantine facilities are meant to house asymptomatic cases and the number identified and trained manpower should be equal to the number of COVID-19 warriors.