E-Paper
Uttarakhand issues fresh advisory as Covid-19 positivity rate climbs to 13.45%
Healthcare facilities have been advised to ensure adequate availability of oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, oxygen beds, ICU beds, and essential medicines for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. Oxygen generation plants at healthcare facilities should be operational, the advisory said
After a rise in Covid-19 cases in the state, the Uttarakhand health department on Monday issued a new advisory to all district magistrates to take steps to stop the spread of the infection.
The advisory issued by the office of the mission director of the National Health Mission emphasised on the five-point plan of testing, surveillance, treatment, vaccination and compliance of Covid-appropriate behaviour to halt the spread of the virus in the state.
The government has urged the district administration to promote Covid-19 appropriate behaviour among the general public through different mediums. The coverage of vaccination should be increased as per the guidelines of the central government, it mentioned.
Healthcare facilities have been advised to ensure adequate availability of oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, oxygen beds, ICU beds, and essential medicines for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. Oxygen generation plants at healthcare facilities should be operational, the advisory added.
The Covid-19 patients admitted to both government and private hospitals should be under regular observation, the advisory indicated.
Patients with minor symptoms should be treated and kept under home isolation but their condition should be monitored regularly. They should be hospitalised immediately when required, it stated.
For Covid-19 testing, the ICMR guidelines should be adhered to. Covid-19 sampling should be increased at the district level and the maximum of samples should be sent for RT-PCR testing, the advisory said.
Patients reporting to healthcare facilities with influenza-like illnesses or severe acute respiratory illnesses should be tested for Covid-19 and their details should be uploaded on the Integrated Health Information Platform, it said.
It also said that preventive measures, including the availability of testing, should be taken if clusters of Covid-19 and fever cases were found at the community level. The samples of those found positive in the RT-PCR sampling should be sent to Doon Medical College for genome sequencing.
There has been an increase in Covid-19 cases in the state in recent days with 142 new cases detected on Sunday. As of Sunday, the total number of active cases is 1140. The sample positivity rate was recorded at 13.45 per cent. 260 new cases were recorded on Saturday, while 201 new cases were detected on Friday.
