E-Paper
State recommends 18K Covid tests daily, Pune logs 6K
The state has recommended that the ratio between reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT -PCR) and rapid antigen test (RAT) tests should be 75-25 before February 2021
The state government has issued a letter to all districts to ramp up testing for Covid-19. While the target recommended is over 18,000 tests daily, as of Monday (November 30), Pune district carried out only 6,340 Covid tests covering Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic bodies, rural Pune, councils and three cantonment boards.
The state has recommended that the ratio between reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT -PCR) and rapid antigen test (RAT) tests should be 75-25 before February 2021.
The letter issued by principal secretary Dr Pradeep Vyas on Monday (a copy of which is with HT) specifies the daily test target for every district and civic body in the state. “Given the population and positivity rate in the state, Maharashtra is conducting least number of Covid tests in the country. To control the Covid pandemic the district administration must ramp up testing,” states the letter.
It has been recommended that the state must conduct at least 1.58 lakh Covid tests daily.
District collector Rajesh Deshmukh said, “We have gone through the letter. We will gear up the testing accordingly and also the testing capacity at BJ Medical has been increased. Even at the peak of the first wave, rural administration tested only close to 5,000, and now we have a target of about 8,600 according to our population. We will target SARI, ILI and comorbid patients who could be tested at regular intervals so that the case fatality remains in control due to early detection and early treatment.”
The administration must survey all influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) cases in the district who must be tested regularly for Covid. During the contact tracing of every confirmed Covid, all the high-risk contacts must be tested, 100% of SARI and ILI patients in containment zones must be tested, superspreaders, including vendors, hawkers, public servants and others who come in contact with a large number of people and others, must be tested as per the district’s requirements.
The state has also recommended increasing the proportion of RT-PCR in comparison to RAT which are often known to report false negatives. The RT-PCR testing proportion must be increased gradually from 65% as of December to 75% as of February 2021.
To ramp up the testing, administration has to also ensure that the current testing facilities have enough manpower so that they work to their full potential and that the reports are submitted as soon as possible. Also, the RT-PCR kits and consumables must be provided. To cover the expenses, the administration may use CSR funds or local administrative funds, as per the letter issued by the official.
