The Ghaziabad health department is looking to focus its energies in carrying forward the momentum generated by the first round of special surveillance drive and has plans to double the testing rate in high incidence areas that have reported a majority of the Covid-19 cases of the district.
According to the latest mapping summary of July 14, the district has 16 residential segments that have more than 100 cases. Together, these 16 segments account for 80.27% of all cases reported from the district so far.
“We are aiming to double the testing with the help of antigen test kits and ultimately aim to test 5,000 people per day. We have considerably improved our different systems and also focussing on enhancing testing capabilities. With more teams added, we are sure that we will be able to achieve 5000 tests per day. I have directed the health department to gear up for enhancing testing. When small districts like Baghpat can achieve 1500 tests, we will surely achieve 5000 tests per day,” said Ajay Shankar Pandey, district magistrate.
Health department officials said that their focus is primarily on increasing rapid antigen testing as the city has received 24,000 more antigen test kits. They added that they have roped in 10 more lab technicians and formed four more teams for testing, which will take the total number of teams deployed now to 16.
{{/usCountry}}Health department officials said that their focus is primarily on increasing rapid antigen testing as the city has received 24,000 more antigen test kits. They added that they have roped in 10 more lab technicians and formed four more teams for testing, which will take the total number of teams deployed now to 16.
{{/usCountry}}“Each of the 16 teams will be able to conduct 200 tests per day. But there are areas — like Indirapuram and Vaishali — where people are not coming out in large numbers and our teams sit idle. We conduct about 70 tests on an average daily in Indirapuram and around 20-30 tests per day in Vaishali. The turnout of residents here is low despite both the areas featuring in the lst of high incidence localities. At booths in IMS, Dasna and MMG Hospital, we conduct about 100 and 350 tests daily, respectively, on average,” said Dr NK Gupta, chief medical officer of teh district.
At other places — like Loni, Dasna, Muradnagar, Modinagar and Bhojpur — around 100 tests each are being conducted daily, said officials.
Overall, the present average rate of sampling/testing is about 1,850-2,000 per day, which will soon be enhanced to about 3,200 per day. According to officials, the total sampling/testing (till July 15) has reached the mark of 55,538, which includes 22,785 antigen tests..
“Apart from 16 teams, we have also received three new mobile vans which will be dispatched to containment zones for antigen testing. Our prime focus is on antigen testing as it provides quick results. With more resources available, we are aiming to double the testing to about 3500-3600 tests per day, a majority of which will be antigen tests. Our focus will be in high incidence residential segments and we will also enhance testing in rural areas as well,” Dr Gupta added.
According to health department’s latest mapping figure of July 14 — when the district had 3,458 overall cases — ‘Karhera-2’ segment (comprising Indirapuram, Makanpur and Kanawani) had the highest number of 403 cases, followed by ‘Sahibabad-2’ (comprising Lajpat Nagar, Rajendra Nagar and Shalimar Garden ) with 261 cases and ‘Carte’ segment (comprising Kavi Nagar, Shastri Nagar and Nehru Nagar) with 238 cases.
Out of the 16 high incident residential segments, 13 have reported more than 100 but below 200 cases. Two others have more than 200 but below 300 cases. Only one segment has reported over 400 cases.
Ghaziabad has in total 25 residential segments that have 362 total containment zones.
Residents said that low turnout of residents in areas like Indirapuram, Vishali etc is due to fear that they will have to get admitted to Covid facilities in case they test positive.
“Unlike Delhi, the state of UP has not allowed home isolation for asymptomtic patients so far. In case it is done, more people will come out for getting tested. At present ,they fear that they will be confined in government facilities for at least 10 days or may foot huge bills in paid private Covid hospitals. We had written to the district officials as well as to the UP government [to allow home isolation] but no decision has been taken so far,” said Alok Kumar, founder member of federation of association of apartment owners.
As per the new discharge guidelines issued by the state government on June 19, if a patient shows no symptoms, he/she can be discharged without undergoing any test on the tenth day from their date of admission. But, such patients will have to remain in home quarantine for seven days after discharge from hospital.
On July 15, 179 new Covid-19 cases were added to Ghaziabad’s tally, which stood at 3765 overall cases. The district has so far seen 63 deaths, and has 1497 active cases. At least 2,205 patients have been discharged after treatment so far.