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Covid-19 cases rise in Ghaziabad with economy opening up and increased testing, say health officials
With the resumption of economic activities and increased sample collection for testing, the number of cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid1-19) have surged in
With the resumption of economic activities and increased sample collection for testing, the number of cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid1-19) have surged in Ghaziabad in the last few days and may cross 1,000 this month at the current rate, health officials said.
The district health department said it has now increased sample collection to 200-250 samples per day. In May, the department was collecting 125-150 samples daily, while it was collecting 70-75 samples per day in April, officials said.
“With the available resources, we can collect nearly 750 samples every day, but with no government labs in the district we have limited the sample collection for now. The rate of cases testing positive with an increase in the number of samples being collected, but more positive cases are also being reported because of opening up of economic activities,” said Dr NK Gupta, chief medical officer (CMO).
According to the health department figures, until June 9, at least 12,160 sampled were collected in the district of which 527 cases have tested positive so far. Until March 30, one out of nearly 30 samples tested positive on an average in the district. The figure showed some improvement with one case out of 44 samples testing positive up to April 30. The first case in Ghaziabad was reported on March 5.
Until May 31, a total of 9,984 samples were collected out of which 305 cases tested positive. One case was reported positive out of every 33 samples until then. However, samples are testing positive at a faster rate now. At the end of June 9, each of the 527 Covid-19 positive cases has tested positive against 23 samples collected on an average.
The CMO said samples were turning positive the slowest in the month of April when almost all economic activities were at a standstill. Between April 1 and April 30, one out of every 45 samples tested positive on an average, while one out of every 30 samples tested positive between in the month of May when the economy had started opening up gradually.
The figure worsened in June when every one positive case emerged out of nearly 10 samples between June 1 and June 9.
Covid-19 cases in Ghaziabad are increasing at a rapid rate. After the first case in March, the figure slowly reached 50 cases after about 48 days on April 22. The next 50 cases were reported a span of about 13 days on May 5. The next 50 cases (total case count 150) were reported within 10 days, while the district crossed the 200-mark on May 21 in just another six days.
The next 100 cases were reported within just 10 days with the district crossing the 300-mark on May 31. The next 100 cases emerged in a span of just six days with the district crossing 400-mark on June 6. Within a span of two days, the district breached the 500-mark on June 8.
As the cases rise, testing samples remains an uphill task, said officials. “Testing samples is also a major issue as we have no government labs in Ghaziabad, and have to depend on laboratories in Noida and Meerut. Now, we have received on TruNat testing machine which can speed up the testing of samples in emergency cases and give us results within one hour. The machine which can teste 25 50 30 samples every day has been installed at MMG Hospital. The machine will primarily be used for testing in cases where suspected patients require emergency treatment,” Dr Gupta said.
THREE COVID-DEATHS
Three Covid-19 patients succumbed to the disease on Tuesday taking the death toll in the district to 14, with as many as 25 more people testing positive for the infection. Out of total of 527 cases, the district has 197 active cases so far.
“One of the casualties include a 28-year-old man, possibly a migrant worker from Faizabad, who tested positive in Ghaziabad and died at Meerut. A 40-year-old man also died at our L3 category hospital. A 46-year-old man from Shalimar Garden is the third casualty,” said Dr NK Gupta.
The 25 new cases on Tuesday include five cases from Khoda, two from Vijay Nagar and one each from Indirapuram and Crossings Republik among other localities.
