Mock drills were conducted in various government hospitals across Chhattisgarh on Monday to check the state's preparedness to deal with a surge in COVID-19 cases, officials said. The drills, conducted on the direction of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, will continue on Tuesday, they added.

Availability of health facilities, trained health professionals, ambulances, testing equipment, referral services, human resources, etc, were examined in district hospitals, including in Raipur, community and primary health centres, a public relations department official here said.

"Doctors wearing PPE kits attended to dummy patients during the drill and availability of isolation beds, ICU beds, ventilator beds were also checked. Referral services and availability of ambulances, life support systems were examined and discussions were held with organizations providing ambulance services in each district," he added.

Raipur collector Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure, who visited the Raipur district hospital during the mock drill, asked people to get themselves examined if they show symptoms of the infection. As on Monday, Raipur district has 153 active Covid-19 cases, including three patients who are hospitalised.

"Raipur medical college hospital, AIIMS Raipur and the district hospital have sufficient facilities to deal with the surge in infections. Additional beds will be arranged in community and primary health centres in view of the situation," Bhure told reporters. The Raipur Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) will write letters to concerned authorities to ensure supply of vaccines and RTPCR test kits, the collector added.