Will protect you and your family: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on new coronavirus strain detected in South Africa

New Delhi: The Delhi government has called a meeting of the Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday (November 29, 2021) to discuss steps and the future course of action to handle the threat of the new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today.

“In view of the threat from new COVID variant from African countries, we have requested experts to make a presentation to DDMA on Mon and suggest what steps we shud take. We will take all steps necessary to protect u and ur family,?” Kejriwal tweeted on Friday.

The development comes a day after the Central government asked all states and union territories to take up rigorous steps by mandating screening and RT-PCR testings of all international travellers, coming from South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana.

As per the Chief Minister’s tweet, the experts of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will make a presentation to suggest steps to protect the national capital from the B.1.1.529 strain of the coronavirus, which continues to be a health concern in the aforementioned countries.

Delhi has been one of the worst affected cities both during the first and second waves of COVID-19 infections. The Union Territory is now reeling with rising dengue numbers as well.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) is going to convene an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the potentially augmenting COVID strain found in South Africa and Botswana.