Enhance testing: Centre to states

Mpost bureau

New Delhi: Flagging a decline in the number of COVID-19 tests in many states and Union Territories, the Centre has asked them to enhance testing so that an effective track of the spread of the pandemic can be kept and immediate citizen-centric action can be initiated.

In a letter to states and UTs on Monday, Additional Secretary in the Union Health ministry Arti Ahuja advised them to pay attention to this aspect immediately and increase the testing in a strategic manner keeping in view the trend of case positivity in specific areas.

She highlighted that Omicron, which has been designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a variant of concern, is currently spreading across the country.

Referring to the ministry's earlier letters and the Home Ministry advisory of December 27 last year laying out the broad framework of pandemic management in the context of Omicron, Ahuja said testing remains a key and crucial component.

"However, it is seen from the data available on the ICMR portal that testing has declined in many states and union territories," she wrote.

She said in all advisories on testing issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), including the latest on January 10, the basic objective remains early detection of cases for quick isolation and care.

In addition, testing remains a key strategy for pandemic management as it helps in the identification of new clusters and new hotspots of infection which can in turn facilitate immediate action for containment such as setting up of containment zones, contact tracing, quarantining, isolation and follow-up.

This can enable the state and district administrations to curb the spread of infection. Also, this will ensure a reduction in mortality and morbidity.

"Progression of disease to a severe category can be averted by strategic testing of those who are at high risk and more vulnerable, as well as in areas where the spread is likely to be higher," Ahuja said.

Reiterating the advisory on purposive testing strategy issued by the ICMR on January 10, she said in community settings all those who are symptomatic must be tested and all at-risk contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases must also be tested.

This advisory needs to be read in conjunction with the earlier guidelines and advisories of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, wherein it has been recommended that strategic and focused testing should be done of people who are vulnerable, living in closed surroundings, in densely populated areas in emerging new clusters and new hotspots of positive cases, etc., Ahuja said.

"In order to ensure that an effective track of the spread of the pandemic is kept and also immediate citizen-centric action is initiated, it is incumbent upon all states/UTs to enhance testing," she said.

India on Monday conducted 16.49 lakh tests. However, the country's weekly positivity continues to hover around 15 per cent. On Monday, the daily positivity rate stood at 14.43 per cent.

Over 50 lakh healthcare, frontline workers and citizens aged 60 years and above have been administered the precaution dose of Covid vaccine since January 10, Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday.

"Another Day, Another Milestone Over 50 lakh healthcare & frontline workers and citizens aged 60 years or above have received precaution Dose, since 10th January. I request all those who are eligible to get their precaution dose at the earliest," Mandaviya tweeted.

With 2,38,018 new infections being reported in a day, India's total tally of Covid cases rose to 3,76,18,271, which includes 8,891 cases of the Omicron variant, according to the Union Health ministry data updated on Tuesday.

The active cases have increased to 17,36,628, the highest in 230 days, while the death toll has climbed to 4,86,761 with 310 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. There has been an 8.31 per cent increase in Omicron cases since Monday, the ministry said. The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country have reached 158.74 crore so far, the Union Health ministry said on Tuesday.

A total of 3,70,32,672 doses have been given to adolescents in the age group of 15 to 18 years, according to the ministry data. More than 65 lakh (65,85,945) vaccine doses were administered till 7 pm on Tuesday.