NEW DELHI: Marking a fall in the number of COVID-19 tests in several states and union territories, the Center on Monday asked them to increase test So that the spread of the pandemic can be effectively monitored and citizen centric action can be initiated immediately.
Additional Secretary in the Union Health Ministry in a letter to the states and union territories Aarti Ahuja He was advised to look into this aspect immediately and increase testing in a strategic manner keeping in mind the trend of case positivity in specific areas.
He highlighted that omicron, designated by World Health Organization (WHO) as a form of concern, currently spreading across the country.
Referring to the ministry’s earlier letters and the Ministry of Home Affairs’ advice on preparing a comprehensive framework for pandemic management with reference to Omicron on December 27 last year, Ahuja said testing remains an important and vital component.
“However, it is seen from the data available on the ICMR portal that there has been a decline in testing in many states and union territories,” she wrote.
He said in all the advisories issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), including the latest on January 10, the basic objective is early detection of cases for quick isolation and care.
Furthermore, testing remains an important strategy for epidemic management as it helps to identify new clusters and new hotspots of infection which in turn can facilitate immediate action for prevention such as establishment of containment zones. Contact tracing, quarantine, isolation and rearing- UP.
This will enable the state and district administrations to contain the spread of the infection. Also, it will ensure reduction in mortality and morbidity.
“Evolution of the disease into the severe category can be prevented by strategic testing of people who are at high risk and more vulnerable, as well as in areas where the spread is likely to be high,” Ahuja said.
Reiterating the advisory on the purposeful testing strategy issued by the ICMR on January 10, he said that all people in community settings who are at-risk contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases should also be tested.
This advice needs to be read in conjunction with the earlier guidelines and advisories Ministry of Health and Family WelfareAhuja said, in which it has been recommended that strategic and focused testing of people who are vulnerable, living in closed environment, densely populated areas in emerging new clusters and new hotspots of positive cases etc. should be done.
“In order to ensure that an effective track of the spread of the pandemic is kept and immediate citizen-centric action initiated, it is necessary to ramp up testing on all states/UTs,” she said.
Additional Secretary in the Union Health Ministry in a letter to the states and union territories Aarti Ahuja He was advised to look into this aspect immediately and increase testing in a strategic manner keeping in mind the trend of case positivity in specific areas.
He highlighted that omicron, designated by World Health Organization (WHO) as a form of concern, currently spreading across the country.
Referring to the ministry’s earlier letters and the Ministry of Home Affairs’ advice on preparing a comprehensive framework for pandemic management with reference to Omicron on December 27 last year, Ahuja said testing remains an important and vital component.
“However, it is seen from the data available on the ICMR portal that there has been a decline in testing in many states and union territories,” she wrote.
He said in all the advisories issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), including the latest on January 10, the basic objective is early detection of cases for quick isolation and care.
Furthermore, testing remains an important strategy for epidemic management as it helps to identify new clusters and new hotspots of infection which in turn can facilitate immediate action for prevention such as establishment of containment zones. Contact tracing, quarantine, isolation and rearing- UP.
This will enable the state and district administrations to contain the spread of the infection. Also, it will ensure reduction in mortality and morbidity.
“Evolution of the disease into the severe category can be prevented by strategic testing of people who are at high risk and more vulnerable, as well as in areas where the spread is likely to be high,” Ahuja said.
Reiterating the advisory on the purposeful testing strategy issued by the ICMR on January 10, he said that all people in community settings who are at-risk contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases should also be tested.
This advice needs to be read in conjunction with the earlier guidelines and advisories Ministry of Health and Family WelfareAhuja said, in which it has been recommended that strategic and focused testing of people who are vulnerable, living in closed environment, densely populated areas in emerging new clusters and new hotspots of positive cases etc. should be done.
“In order to ensure that an effective track of the spread of the pandemic is kept and immediate citizen-centric action initiated, it is necessary to ramp up testing on all states/UTs,” she said.
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