All states need to immediately increase testing for Covid-19 infections in a strategic manner to figure out case positivity rates in specific locations within a state to contain the surge driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
“Progression of disease to a severe category can be averted by strategic testing of those who are at high risk and more vulnerable, as well as in areas where the spread is likely to be higher,” additional health secretary Arti Ahuja said in a letter to the states.
“As you are aware, the Omicron which has been designated by WHO as variant of concern (VoC) is currently spreading across the country… laying out the broad framework of pandemic management in the context of Omicron, testing remains a key and crucial component of the framework,” she said.
The ministry asked provincial governments to increase testing as data from the Indian Council of Medical Research’s portal show testing has declined in many states and Union territories.
Keeping up the testing pace is important to identify new infection clusters and hot spots, which can help in setting up of containment zones, contact tracing, quarantining, isolation and follow-up, Ahuja said in the letter. This would ensure reduction in mortality and morbidity.
{{/usCountry}}Keeping up the testing pace is important to identify new infection clusters and hot spots, which can help in setting up of containment zones, contact tracing, quarantining, isolation and follow-up, Ahuja said in the letter. This would ensure reduction in mortality and morbidity.
{{/usCountry}}“In all advisories on testing issued by ICMR including the latest advisory dated 10th January, 2022, the basic objective remains early detection of cases for quick isolation and care,” the letter said.
Ahuja reiterated ICMR’s guidelines pertaining to conducting purposive testing that includes testing all symptomatic cases and all at-risk contacts of confirmed infections. Senior citizens and those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic heart, and kidney or liver disease are deemed to be at higher risk than others.
The health ministry has recommended strategic and focused testing of people who are vulnerable, living in closed surroundings, in densely populated areas in emerging new clusters, and new hot spots of positive cases.
Testing is crucial in early detection of cases, experts said.
“It is important to test so that positive cases are identified and isolated early, and also put on treatment in time to reduce the risk of death, especially for high-risk cases,” said T Jacob John, former head of the virology department at Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu. “That is how the spread of infection is curbed in the long run.”