New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS): Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a virtual review meeting with the health ministers of southern states and UTs over Covid-19 situation on Friday.

The meeting has been convened to review the public health preparedness in the southern states.

Health ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andmand Nicobar Island will participate in the meeting, said a source.

Mandaviya is expected to review the public health preparedness and containment measures taken by these states against the new Covid variant Omicron. Other senior state health officials are also expected to participate in the meeting.

On Tuesday, Mandaviya held a meeting with Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Ladakh and Uttar Pradesh - virtually to review the Covid situation.

During the meeting, he directed the states to review and expedite implementation of activities under ECRP-II package for strengthening the health infrastructure in the virtual meeting.

Mandaviya urged the health ministers and the state authorities to plug the existing gaps by efficiently utilising the amount sanctioned for various infra projects.

In a press brief on Thursday, the health ministry said that 551 districts were reporting case positivity rate of over 5 per cent as on January 26.

More than 3 lakh active cases have been reported in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala while over one lakh has been reported from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, the Ministry added.