69% Covid-19 positive cases in Pune, asymptomatic: health authorities

Detecting asymptomatic patients continues to be a challenge for the authorities

Even as, around 69 per cent of the 669 Covid-19 positive cases till April 19 in Pune district are asymptomatic which is in keeping with the national trend, detecting asymptomatic patients continues to be a challenge for the authorities.

As reported by HT, roughly two-thirds of all Covid-19 cases in 10 major states comprise people who did not show any symptoms at the time of testing, according to state government data. (Representative Photo)

As reported by HT, roughly two-thirds of all Covid-19 cases in 10 major states comprise people who did not show any symptoms at the time of testing, according to state government data.

This has reinforced growing evidence that “silent spreaders” were possibly unknowingly infecting others, and underlined the need for extensive testing to isolate such patients.

In Maharashtra, 62 per cent or 1,890 cases of the 3,054 Covid-19 positives as of April 20 10 pm were asymptomatic, according to state health department.

Dr Ajit Kulkarni, pulmonologist with Sahyadri hospital said it is herculean task now for the authorities to detect the asymptomatic carriers since they may spread the infection to the less immune and susceptible patient.

“Testing of not only close contacts but rampant and random testing of large samples in not only red zones but orange and green zones too should be done because once the lockdown is lifted or even during the lockdown one may infect others who are susceptible. Random testing will help in understanding the spread of the virus in that community,” he said.

Dr Ashok Nandapurkar, nodal officer for Covid-19 in the district said, “There are flu clinics set up at PMC, PCMC and rural areas where anyone showing any flu like symptoms can come. “With regards to asymptomatic patients, only close contacts of a positive patient are tested. Maybe with the new Rapid testing kits we can go for sample testing and random testing of people in high risk areas will help determine the spread of the virus in the area,” said Nandapurkar.

According to the district administration, health staff has been instructed to carry out random testing especially from high risk areas.

“We are testing around 350-700 samples daily which involved random testing too. In our testing, most positive patients were found either through flu clinics or home surveillance. Only people with symptoms are reporting to the clinics or are tested currently but we are also doing screening of asymptomatic contacts in high risk areas. We are yet to get the guidelines for the rapid testing kits from the government and based on that we can take a call on mass random testing in large outbreak areas,” said district collector Naval Kishore Ram.