Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Friday said that the Health Department is fully prepared to deal with the cases of new Omicron variant of coronavirus.

“Genome sequence is required for the investigation of the Omicron variant of Corona and for this, a machine has been made operational at Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak. The work of genome sequencing has also started through this machine,” Vij said while talking to the mediapersons here.

He said that earlier all the samples had to be sent to Delhi for genome sequencing and there used to be a delay in the detection of variant of the virus.

Responding to a question regarding passengers coming from abroad, Vij said that all the records of passengers coming from abroad are being kept by the Central Government and the passengers testing negative from there are allowed to go out. The information about the districts related to Haryana is given by the Central Government, after that we have instructed the health teams to monitor such passengers on a daily basis, he added.Vij said that these teams would monitor such passengers for a week and if they show symptoms of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) i.e. fever etc., they will be admitted to the hospital.He also informed that about 90 PSA oxygen plants have been set up in the state and orders have been given by him to make them operational.

The Health Minister added orders have been issued to all the Deputy Commissioners, Commissioner of Police, Inspectors General of Police and Superintendents of Police in the state to ensure that the Corona protocol is strictly followed.

They have been directed that challans should be issued to violators and the report of the challan should be presented to him, he said.

Apart from this, inspection of public meetings or social programs would also be done by any officer of the district, he added.

In response to a question regarding ventilators, the Health Minister said that orders have also been issued to operate ventilators in all hospitals with a capacity of more than 100 beds so that any emergency can be dealt with.