Intensive testing in containment zones as Covid cases spike in Bihar

The state health department has decided to use rapid antigen kits for intensive testing in containment zones of Patna, which has seen the maximum spike in cases post-Holi, while scaling up tests through real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), a gold standard test for coronavirus disease (Covid-19)

The state health department has decided to use rapid antigen kits for intensive testing in containment zones of Patna, which has seen the maximum spike in cases post-Holi, while scaling up tests through real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), a gold standard test for coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

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With 935 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, Bihar reported the highest single day spike in cases this year of which 432 were from Patna. The state capital reported 372 cases out of the 864 new infections in the state on Sunday.

Sharing the gravity of the situation, he said, Bihar reported 3,422 cases between March 29 and April 4. This was more than 15 times the cases reported in the first week of March.

“We are constantly increasing our capacity of RT PCR tests, but at the same time we have decided to test as many people as possible in containment zones (Bihar had 1,124 active containment zones on Monday) through rapid antigen kits,” said Pratyaya Amrit, Bihar’s principal secretary, health.

He said Bihar had sufficient beds available in health facilities as 95% of the total active cases were under home isolation. Bihar had 3,560 active cases till April 4, when the number of new infections was 864.

Amrit said the availability of beds for Covid-19 patients had increased from 60 to 110 at Patna AIIMS. The number of ICU beds had also gone up from 20 to 30 at the institute. Besides, 100 beds were made functional at the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH), the state health brass added.

An additional 100 beds to the existing 100 were being made operational at the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH), which was once declared a dedicated Covid-19 hospital last May before it began admitting non-Covid patients when the situation eased later last year.

Amrit said the ESIC Hospital at Bihta, on the outskirts of Patna, would again be made functional exclusively for Covid-19 patients. Doctors and nurses from the Armed Forces Medical Corps would manage the facility at Bihta, where the DRDO had managed a 500-bed Covid care facility last year.

“We are deputing 50 nurses from the state health sector to support the facility at Bihta,” said Amrit.

He said arrangements were also being done for recommencing Covid-care facility at the erstwhile Hotel Patliputra Ashok.

Together with tracking, testing and treatment of Covid-19 patients, Amrit exhorted those above 45 years of age to take vaccination.

He said the state was vaccinating around 2.25 lakh people on a daily basis and the exercise had been taken up on a “mission mode” with a target to vaccinate most of the 1.80 crore target group population of 45 years and above.

Amrit said the infection was more virulent this time and portends ominous signs if people were lax in following Covid appropriate behavior like wearing of mask, maintaining social distancing, using hand sanitiser and avoiding crowded places.

He said the chief minister was monitoring the Covid-19 situation on a daily basis and after the crisis management group meeting last Saturday, would hold a meeting with districts magistrates and superintendents of police on Tuesday.