States/UTs Told to Revive Covid Testing Rates

NEW DELHI, Jan 18: The union health ministry has directed the states and the union territories to revive the testing rates of Covid-19 which had been showing declining trend in the last few days.

Pointing out that in the last few days testing has , the union additional health secretary Aarti Ahuja directed the local health departments to increase testing rates keeping in view the case positivity trend.

Without specifically naming any state or Union territory, she communicated to state health secretaries that data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) portal has shown a decline in testing in regions. 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.

“As you are aware, the Omicron which has been designated… as variant of concern is currently spreading across the country… Testing remains a key and crucial component of the framework. However, it is seen from the data available on the ICMR portal that testing has declined in many states and Union territories,” Ahuja said.

The ministry reiterated to the states the fresh ICMR guidelines issued on Covid-19 testing following the emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant – all those who are symptomatic should be tested and all at-risk contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases must also be tested.

The ministry, in its communication to the states on augmenting the testing rate, highlighted that it remains an important strategy in the pandemic management for two broad reasons. “Identification of new clusters and new hotspots of infections which can in turn facilitate immediate action for containment… this can enable the district administration to curb the spread of infection,” Ahuja added.

She pointed out that early testing ensures a reduction in mortality and morbidity. “Progression of a disease to 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.”

The ministry also told the states that tests should be done on people who are living in closed surroundings and densely populated areas in emerging new clusters. “In order to ensure that an effective track of the spread of pandemic is kept and also immediate citizen centric action is initiated, it is incumbent on states to enhance testing,” the ministry informed.

(Manas Dasgupta)