"We can control any situation": Gujarat Health Minister calls Omicron 'not serious', says all arrangements in place

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 7 (ANI): Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel on Saturday noted that the state is fully prepared for COVID-19, with all arrangements including beds, ventilators, and ICU facilities in place, adding that the current Omicron variant is not very serious and does not seem to cause significant harm or death.
Speaking to reporters, Minister Rushikesh Patel said, "This Omicron virus is a virus of the Covid family, but it is not so serious. Varieties of this virus do not seem to cause any harm or death. But we have made all our arrangements, all beds, ventilators, and ICU beds. We can control any situation."
However, the Gujarat Health Minister urged pregnant women and patients with comorbidities to take care of themselves and advised anyone showing symptoms like cold, fever, or cough to seek treatment, stressing that the current rise in cases feels like a wave but is not severe.
"The cases that are increasing here happen many times in a year, so it seems like a wave has come. So my request is that pregnant women and patients with comorbidities should take care of themselves. And if someone has a cold, fever, cough, any such symptoms, then they should get themselves treated...the wave that is going on right now is not so serious," the Health Minister said.
As of June 7, 2025, at 8 AM, India reported 5755 active COVID-19 cases, while the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reports 717 active cases in Gujarat.
There have been 102 new COVID-19 cases in Gujarat since yesterday, with two deaths since January 1.
According to the Union Health Ministry's data, 59 deaths have been reported since January 1, 2025. States have been instructed to ensure oxygen availability, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines.
Given the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in India, a series of technical review meetings were held on June 2 and 3 with various representatives under the chairpersonship of Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services (DGHS).
According to an official statement, the representatives include Disaster Management Cell, Emergency Management Response (EMR) Cell, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and Central Government Hospitals in Delhi and with representatives from all States and UTs to evaluate the current COVID-19 situation and preparedness measures. (ANI)