Take action to curb Covid spread: Centre to 5 states

In a letter Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan asked the states to monitor clustering of new cases, conduct adequate testing with required measures in areas showing high positivity, and screen severe acute respiratory illness and influenza-like cases in all health facilities on a regular basis.

The Union government on Tuesday advised five states — Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Mizoram — reporting slight surge in Covid-19 cases to monitor the spread of infection and take prompt steps accordingly.

A healthcare worker administers a dose of the Covid-19 preventive vaccine to a student in the age group of 12 to 14 years, at a school in Bikaner on Tuesday. (PTI)

In a letter to the five states, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan suggested measures to contain the infection from spreading further. He asked the states to monitor clustering of new cases, conduct adequate testing with required measures in areas showing high positivity, and screen severe acute respiratory illness and influenza-like cases in all health facilities on a regular basis.

Bhushan pointed to the states’ “higher contribution to lndia’s cases and higher positivity” and advised them to follow a risk assessment-based approach on the opening of economic and social activities without losing the gains made so far in the fight against pandemic. He also suggested these states to strictly adhere to the Centre’s five-fold strategy of test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour.

“The state of Uttar Pradesh has reported an increase in weekly new cases from 217 new cases in the week ending (12th April, 2022) to 637 new cases in the last week (ending 19th April). The state has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 0.03% to 0.09%,” Bhushan wrote in his letter to Amit Mohan Prasad, additional chief secretary, Uttar Pradesh health department.

“The state is requested to refer to the directions… which highlighted specific areas of continued focus to tackle the challenges posed by Covid-19,” the letter further read.

In the corresponding period, Mizoram reported an increase in positivity from 16.11% to 16.68%. Haryana saw an increase from 521 to 1,299 new cases with a jump in positivity rate from 1.22% to 2.86%. Delhi also saw a jump from 998 to 2,671 new cases with an increase in positivity rate from 1.42% to 3.49% while Maharashtra’s positivity rate went up from 0.39% to 0.40%, according to government data.

The letter also suggested states to conduct “genomic sequencing for prescribed samples of international passengers, collection of samples from sentinel sites (identified health facilities), and local clusters of cases”. It also asked states to ensure “vaccination of all eligible population, including the primary vaccination as well as administration of precaution doses”.

Bhushan also asked the states to undertake regular monitoring and prompt follow-up action in emerging areas of concern.

Health experts also said that surveillance was crucial at this stage.

“Close monitoring needs to be done to pick up early signs of spike and take containment measures at the earliest,” said Giridhara Babu, head, epidemiology, Indian Institute of Public Health.