Return to corona test, track, treat, Health Ministry tells States, UTs
The Centre has rushed high-level multi-disciplinary public health teams to Maharashtra and Punjab in view of the increase in the number of daily Covid-19 cases being reported by these States. It has also asked high-case load States and Union Territories like Maharashtra and Gujarat to continue with the strategy of “test, track and treat” that had yielded rich dividends at the height of the pandemic.
The States have been asked to collaborate with private hospitals to open up vaccination time-table for a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of 28 days at a time.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr Vinod Paul on Saturday interacted with health secretaries and MDs of Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Chandigarh, which have reported increased number of Covid cases in the last few days.
These States and UTs were urged to return to fundamentals of “Test, Track and Treat,” said the Ministry in a statement here.
They have also been asked to increase the share of RT-PCR tests in districts dependent on high levels of antigen testing, refocus on surveillance and stringent containment of those areas in selected districts that are seeing a cluster of cases. They will be required to carry out an average close contact tracing of a minimum of 20 persons per positive case.
The senior health officials reviewed the ongoing public health measures of surveillance, containment and management of Covid cases. The Ministry said that nine districts in Delhi, 15 in Haryana, 10 in Andhra Pradesh, 10 in Odisha, nine in Himachal Pradesh, seven in Uttarakhand, two in Goa, one in Chandigarh continue to be of concern as these districts are seeing a decrease in total tests being conducted, low share of RT-PCR tests, increase in weekly positivity and low number of contact tracing of the Covid positive cases.
“These together can pose high risk of transmission to the neighbouring States and UTs. A granular analysis of the coronovirus response in the districts was shared with the States and UTs for further action,” said the Ministry.
“Accelerate vaccination for priority population groups in districts reporting higher cases. Make optimal use of the available vaccine doses and focus on critical districts,” the Ministry said.
They have been asked to collaborate with the private hospitals to open up vaccination time-tables for a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of 28 days at a time and promote COVID-appropriate behaviour through communication and enforcement, the statement said. Meanwhile, Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu continue to report a high number of COVID daily new cases. They cumulatively account for 82% of the new cases reported in the past 24 hours.
India’s total active caseload has reached 1,80,304 as on Saturday while the present active caseload stands at 1.61 per cent of India’s total positive cases.
So far since the launch of the vaccination drive from January 16, 2021, more than 1.94 crore (1,94,97,704) vaccine doses have been administered through 3,57,478 sessions
