Rohit Shishodia

The Union Health Ministry has advised states and union territories to step up testing in view of the increase in positivity rates recently.

The ministry’s advisory has come after the decline in the number of testing in states and UTs following the latest set of guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Referring to ICMR data, the ministry in a letter to states and UTs observed that the testing has declined in many states and UTs; testing remains a key strategy for management of COVID19, the letter stressed.

“Testing is key for identification of new clusters and hotspots of infections, which can, in turn, facilitate immediate action for containment such as setting up of containment zones, contact tracing, quarantining, isolation and follow up. This can enable the state and district administration to curb the spread of infection,” read the letter signed by Aarti Ahuja, Additional Secretary, Union Health Ministry.

Stressing that testing also helps in ensuring reduction in mortality and morbidity, the letter noted that progression of the 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.

“In order to ensure that an effective track of the spread of the pandemic is kept and also immediate citizen-centric action is initiated, it is incumbent upon all states and UTs to enhance testing. I am sure you will pay attention to this aspect immediately and increase testing in a strategic manner keeping in view the trend of case positivity in specific geographies locations within your States/UTs,” the letter read.