BHUTAN TODAY The New Perspective
Pandemic is not over and new Variant may hit us hard if we are not careful. Washing hands and wearing mask and avoiding mass gathering if symptomatic to avoid the surge in cases – Health Minister.
By Sangay Dorji
Bhutan relaxed its Covid restrictions on May 22, 2022 and opened its international boarder gates on September 23, as a result of steady decline in the national covid case trend with wide coverage of vaccination programs. However, there has been a “sudden spike of cases” globally caused by “a novel and highly transmissible BF.7, a strain of the Omicron type” which has been detected in Brazil, China, the United States of America, the Republic of Korea, and Japan.
Closer home, India has reported four cases of Omicron sub-variant BF.7, the Covid strain driving China’s current surge of cases. Two cases have been reported from Gujarat, two from Odisha.
BF.7 is sub-lineage of Omicron variation BA.5, which has the shortest incubation period, is the most contagious, and has the strongest ability to infect even individuals who have had vaccinations.
China has been gripped by a serious new wave of Covid mostly dominated by Omicron variant. New infections and deaths are sky-rocketing in the country ever since it eased restrictions. Chinese experts have warned that the worst may be yet to come. Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said last week that China is being hit by the first of three expected waves of infections this winter.
According to Epidemiologist & health economist Eric Feigl-Ding said that more than 60 per cent of China and 10 per cent of world’s population is likely to get infected over the next 90 days.
Hospitals in China appear to be filling up amid concerns about a fresh Covid-19 wave hitting the country, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
WHO emergencies Chief Dr Ryan said, “In China, what’s been reported is relatively low numbers of cases in ICUs, but anecdotally ICUS are filling up. Speaking during a weekly news conference in Geneva WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he is “very concerned over the evolving situation in China”.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said that the ministry is continuously monitoring the trends of COVID-19 through surveillance at all major Points of Entry (POE) and routine COVID Integrated influenza surveillance systems in the country.
Rinzin Jamtsho, Officiating Director, Department of Public Health said that concern programs in the MoH reviewed the old contingency plan and draft is made ready for implementation incase the outbreak occurs.
He said, “Health workers especially at the Point of Entries (POEs) have been alerted and advised to step up vigilance and COVID-19 surveillance”.
The Director said that the National Covid-19 dashboard has been removed as there were fewer cases. “However, we will activate if needed based on the situation. Official from MoH encourages all the general public to practice hand-washing and use face mask in public places and hospitals.
Should Bhutanese worry about new Variant?
BF.7 is sub-lineage of Omicron variation BA.5, which has the shortest incubation period, is the most contagious, and has the strongest ability to infect even individuals who have had vaccinations.
However, according to Health Minister Dasho Dechen Wangmo, Bf.7 is sub variant of omicron and there is not much to worry about as the Ministry of Health has never stopped the surveillance.
“This is a sub-variant of Omicron. Essentially, it is the same virus. Surveillance is something we have never stopped, there is ongoing surveillance monitoring the positive rate in the community, monitoring positivity for in-coming passenger to the country and sequencing is ongoing every month to determine what’s the most common sequencing in circulation”.
She further said that given the good vaccination coverage, Bhutan won’t face significant threats from new sub-variant of omicron, BF.7. According to world Health organization report, as of October 29, 2022, a total of 2,011,426 vaccine doses have been administered.
However, she added that people need to be careful as pandemic is still not over. “Pandemic is not over and new Variant may hit us hard if we are not careful. Washing hands and wearing mask and avoiding mass gathering if symptomatic to avoid the surge in cases,” the Health Minister further added.
