Chennai, June 6(BPNS)

The Tamil Nadu health department is on high alert over the rising Covid 19 cases in the state and has directed all the district collectors to press for Covid protocols in their respective districts. The state health secretary has already communicated to the district collectors in this regard.

Meanwhile the state health minister MA Subramanian said that the state has reported BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Omicron and that the central health ministry will announce it officially.

MA Subramanian said that BA.4 was detected in four samples while BA.5 was detected in eight samples. He said that the affected people are fine and are being monitored by the health ministry. He said that the contacts of these people have been traced and under observation.

It may be noted that across the world

BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants are on the rise globally.

MA Subramanian while speaking to BPNS said, “ We are monitoring the situation and have already directed the district collectors and district health officials to strictly adhere to Covid 19 protocols.”

Dr. G. Manonmani , Professor of Virology in a private medical college at Chennai while spespeaking to BPNS said ,” BA.4, BA.5 variants are not very virulent and we have wait and watch.

The guard should not be let down but at the same time we have to monitor the developments properly “. 

She said that adhering to Covid protocols including wearing of masks, social distancing and sanitising hands have to be religiously maintained to bring the cases under control.