Kolkata: In the wake of a sudden rise in daily Covid case loads in the state especially in some pockets of the city and various adjoining districts, State Health department has asked all the civic bodies to conduct rapid antigen tests in the market places and other areas which see a huge footfall.
The decision has been taken after the health department found that the infection has been on the rise in some pockets of Kolkata, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly. Various health establishments ~ both government and private in these five districts have been urged to perform more RT-PCR tests.
All the district administrations have been urged to strengthen the contact tracing and also Covid tests in some pockets where the infection rates have been higher.
As most cases are being reported from the town areas of various districts, the local civic bodies have been requested to perform camps in the crowded areas and conduct rapid antigen tests on a random basis. This will help the local administration to identify the infected people. As a large number of people are often found positive but they do not show any symptoms of Covid.
As a result it is difficult for the patients to comprehend that they are infected with the virus. It also becomes difficult for the local authorities to segregate the infected ones.
Rapid antigen tests can give an initial idea that a particular person may be positive. RT-PCR will be conducted on them later.
A senior official of the health department said that surveillance and testing have been given utmost importance in some pockets where the infections are higher.
There has been a surge in Covid cases in some areas of the city and the adjoining districts like North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah.
The prevalence is higher in town areas. In the semi-urban and rural areas the infection is comparatively low.
For example, many high rise buildings in the city have seen a rise in Covid cases, added the official.