Scale up testing, Centre to states, partial lockdown in 4 Maha distts

As active Covid caseload witnessed a rise this week, pushing India’s disease curve upwards, the Centre on Sunday wrote to states and Union territories advising them to step up testing to contain the spread of the virus at the earliest. Health Ministry said Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Chandigarh have weekly Positivity Rate more than the National Average. To contain the spike, Centre has written to the States to increase the proportion of RT-PCR tests and subject Rapid Antigen negative people to mandatory Retest by RT-PCR.  

The States were advised regular monitoring of the mutant strains through testing followed by Genome Sequencing, as well as monitoring of the emerging cluster of cases. Focus on clinical management in districts reporting higher deaths and all negative rapid antigen test results to be mandatorily followed by RT-PCR test. The upward trend rides on the back of a sudden upsurge of cases in Kerala and Maharashtra. The Union ministry of health and family welfare said that more than 74% of the active cases are in these two states.

Five states and UTs of Chandigarh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Maharashtra -have weekly positivity rates higher than the national average. While the national average is 1.79%. Maharashtra has the highest weekly positivity rate with 8.10%, the health ministry stated. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, the West Vidarbha division is witnessing a spike in new of positive cases of covid-19 in the last few days. The District Administration has imposed a partial lockdown on weekends in Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal districts to contain the spread of virus. The daily positivity rate of Akola District is 32%, that of Amravati is 48% while Yavatmal is 15%. 

The district administration of Amravati has imposed the night curfew where all establishments will be closed between 8 p.m to 6 a.m. Akola Yavatmal and Amaravati has also imposed the weekend lockdown and issued guidelines for strict compliance of wearing face mask, maintaining hand hygiene and social distancing.Essential Service however will remain operational is this night and weekend curfew.The marriage functions arranged in these districts will have to follow the rules of the respective district administration. The administration is imposing fines on the lawns and marriage hall who are violating the guidelines. All three districts have Government Medical hospitals which are spearheading the task of treating covid-19 patients. Pune authorities have announced a night curfew in the city amid a fresh coronavirus spike in the region. No public movement will be allowed in Pune between 11 pm to 6 am except for essential services. Moreover, schools and colleges will also remain shut till February 28 and fresh guidelines will be issued on Monday, said the Pune divisional commissioner.