NEW DELHI: Witnessing an increase in weekly Covid circumstances, testing and positivity fee, the Union Well being Ministry has written to Puducherry and Ladakh urging them to take pre-emptive motion to achieve management over the scenario.
Earlier, the ministry had requested state governments of Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to undertake a evaluate and improve testing in view of rising circumstances of COVID-19 and weekly positivity charges.
In a letter to the principal secretary (Well being) of Ladakh this week, Further Secretary within the Union Well being Ministry Arti Ahuja mentioned the Union Territory has reported a 362 per cent improve in weekly new circumstances from 34 circumstances within the week ending on October 27 to 157 circumstances within the week ending on November 17.
It is usually worrying to notice that the Union Territory has exhibited a rise of greater than 156 per cent in weekly positivity from 1.5 per cent within the week ending on October 26 to three.9 per cent within the week ending on November 16.
“Additional, worrying traits with reference to weekly circumstances, testing and positivity fee have been noticed in numerous districts.
Improve in variety of weekly new circumstances: Leh district has exhibited a major improve of greater than 362 per cent in weekly new circumstances from 35 within the week ending on October 27 to 139 within the week ending on November 17.
That is particularly regarding given the geographical expanse of the district,” Ahuja mentioned.
Leh has additionally recorded a 143 per cent improve in weekly positivity fee from 1.98 per cent within the week ending on October 26 to 4.81 per cent within the week ending on November 16.
Though there was an rising development of weekly checks performed within the Union Territory, a lower has been famous within the proportion of RT-PCR testing.
Kargil (26.8 per cent) has recorded lower than the federal government mandate of 70 per cent RT PCR contribution.
The officer suggested to conduct a higher variety of RT-PCR checks to seize a extra correct image of the Covid public well being scenario within the Union Territory.
“It has been noticed that circumstances surge exponentially the place fundamental public well being technique (Testing.Monitoring.Remedy, Covid-appropriate behaviour and vaccination) shouldn’t be adopted rigorously. The present traits of lower in RT-PCR testing, improve in new circumstances and case positivity if left unchecked could result in a scenario the place there may be extreme pressure on the well being infrastructure and well being workforce,” Ahuja mentioned within the letter.
Along with strict compliance with fundamental well being technique, the Union Territory has been requested to make sure routine submission of RT-PCR constructive samples from worldwide vacationers in addition to from neighborhood for genomic evaluation on the designated INSACOG community laboratory as per laid down protocols.
Moreover, constructive samples from suspected vaccine breakthrough infections, super-spreader occasions and clusters of circumstances with excessive mortality and/or morbidity should even be despatched for genomic evaluation, the letter mentioned.
A fast response workforce have to be constituted based on the INSACOG pointers for detailed investigation of mutations reported by means of the INSACOG.
“As presently numerous occasions corresponding to marriages and festive celebrations are going down, it’s important to take care of adequate degree of testing throughout all districts to make sure well timed detection of circumstances,” Ajuha mentioned within the letter.
States should emphasise the significance of Covid protected festivities and guarantee strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour together with prioritising the second dose protection of eligible beneficiaries, she mentioned.
“Common evaluate of COVID-19 circumstances and deaths should even be undertaken, and crucial corrective measures be promptly communicated to the sector groups.
Lastly, it must also be ensured that the dist consistency in information up-dation on the Covid-19 portal,” the letter mentioned.
On October 30, Ahuja had additionally written to West Bengal and Assam expressing concern over the rise within the variety of COVID-19 circumstances.
Ahuja in her letter to the Puducherry principal secretary (well being) mentioned it has reported 41.7 per cent improve in weekly new circumstances from 168 circumstances within the week ending on November 9 to 238 circumstances within the week ending on November 16.
Worrying traits with reference to weekly circumstances and positivity fee have been noticed in numerous districts of the state, she mentioned.
Three districts out of 4 have reported a rise in weekly new circumstances.
Karaikal district has exhibited a rise of greater than 29 per cent in weekly new circumstances from 49 within the week ending on November 9 to 63 within the week ending on November 16, Pondicherry district has exhibited a rise of greater than 30 per cent in weekly new circumstances from 84 within the week ending on November 9 to 109 circumstances reported within the week ending on November 16.
Yanam exhibits a steady improve of latest circumstances from the previous 4 weeks, 85 per cent new circumstances from 13 within the week ending on November 9 to 24 circumstances reported within the week ending on November 16.
Though there was an rising development in weekly checks performed, there’s a disproportion famous in Antigen and RT-PCR testing.
“All 4 districts Karaikal (27.45 per cent), Mahe (1.59 per cent), Pondicherry (32.57 per cent) and Yanam (0.59 per cent) have much less RT-PCR contribution than the federal government mandate of 70 per cent RT PCR contribution. State is suggested to conduct a higher variety of RT-PCR checks,” the letter added.
