Targeted sampling of ILI & SARI, high risk patients leading to spike in Covid-19 cases

For the first time, Ghaziabad reported more than 100 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) a day on Tuesday, according to data released late on Wednesday

For the first time, Ghaziabad reported more than 100 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) a day on Tuesday, according to data released late on Wednesday night, taking the tally over the 1,000-mark. It recorded 114 new cases on the day.

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On Thursday, the district reported 86 fresh cases in the preceding 24 hours. In total, Ghaziabad recorded 1,175 cases, 551 patients discharged and 49 deaths till Thursday.

Health officials say they expect a rise in cases with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex biomedical research institute in the country and also the nodal body for Covid-19 in India, revising the guidelines on testing.

On Tuesday the Council expanded the testing norms, advising that all hospitals, offices and public sector units be enabled to conduct rapid antibody tests, and recommending the deployment of rapid antigen tests in all containment zones, and hospitals and private labs across the state. This meant that symptomatic patients, and not just close contacts of confirmed cases, could now be tested.

“There is sudden increase in number of cases at present and it is primarily because of two reasons. First, we have changed strategy and focussing on targeted sampling of high risk groups which include close contacts of positive patients and, second, we are now focussing more on patients of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). So, we have more of such cases turning positive,” said Dr NK Gupta, chief medical officer.

ILI cases are those with symptoms of fever and cough, and SARI are ILI cases that require hospitalisation.

“We expect that the trend of high number of cases will continue and it is likely that about 1000 more of such cases can arrive in next fortnight or so. However, once the patients are detected and sent to healthcare facilities, the number of cases will start declining. But we expect that the trend will continue in July as well,” CMO added.

According to the data from the state surveillance control room, the district had just five cases in the March. This was followed by 61 cases in April alone and another 239 fresh cases in May alone.

In the first 24 days of June, the district registered 784 fresh Covid-19 cases.

Sampling teams are now focussing on collecting more samples from containment zones where surveillance measures too have been increased. According to the latest figure, the district has 297 category 1 (having one case) and category 2 (more than one case) containment zones.

In March, only 149 samples were taken up followed by 2,729 and 7106 in April and May, respectively. Including data till June 24, the total sampling figure has now reached about 16,500.

According to official estimates, the district is presently taking up about 450 sampling per day and focussing on high risk group along with cases of ILI and SARI. At present, about 20-25% cases out of 100 are turning positive which mostly include cases of ILI & SARI while it was about 5-6% till last month, said health officials.

Ghaziabad is one of the 11 sensitive districts in the state with respect to rising number of Covid-19 cases.

Recently, the district administration had also directed for enhancing the surveillance activities in non-containment zones and also for early detection of ILI and SARI cases. The district magistrate has roped in 3048 block level officers and 237 supervisors who are tasked to carry out house to house survey on the basis of voters’ list.

According to the state Covid-19 figures till June 24, the Ghaziabad district stood third after Agra (85) and Meerut (76) in terms of high number of Covid-19 related deaths across the state. However, the discharge rate is also better as Ghaziabad is fourth, after Gautam Budh Nagar, Agra and Kanpur City, among 75 districts which have high discharge rate of Covid-19 patients.