COVID Testing Made Compulsory For Political Leaders Before Prime Minister's Meeting
Health protocols have been strictly enforced for high-level political gatherings as RT-PCR testing becomes mandatory for ministers and party officials before meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This precautionary measure comes as India's active COVID-19 cases surpassed the 7,000 threshold, prompting enhanced safety measures at the highest levels of government.
Approximately 70 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) representatives from Delhi, including the Chief Minister, all seven Members of Parliament, and various Members of Legislative Assembly, must complete RT-PCR testing before their scheduled evening meeting with the Prime Minister at his official residence. The gathering, planned for 7:30 PM, celebrates the party's recent success in Delhi's Assembly elections, with PM Modi hosting a dinner for state party leadership.
The implementation of these testing protocols reflects growing concerns about the current wave of infections across the country. According to the Union Health Ministry's Wednesday update, India recorded 306 new cases and six fatalities within a 24-hour period. The deaths were distributed across Kerala (3), Karnataka (2), and Maharashtra (1).
Kerala continues to dominate infection statistics, reporting 170 new cases in a single day and maintaining the highest number of active cases nationwide, with figures exceeding 2,000. Gujarat follows with 114 fresh infections and 1,223 active cases, while Karnataka logged 100 new cases during the same timeframe.
Delhi's situation shows 66 additional cases in the past day, bringing the capital's total active caseload to 757 cases. The national distribution reveals Kerala leading in active infections, followed by Gujarat, West Bengal, and Delhi forming the top tier of affected regions.
In response to the escalating situation, central authorities have initiated comprehensive mock drills nationwide to evaluate hospital readiness and infrastructure capacity. States have received directives to maintain sufficient supplies of oxygen, isolation facilities, ventilators, and critical medications. Despite the rising numbers, health officials emphasize that the majority of current cases present mild symptoms and manageable severity levels.
The stringent testing requirements for political meetings demonstrate the government's commitment to preventing high-level transmission while maintaining essential governance functions during this challenging period.
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