NEW DELHI: In the wake of the surge in daily new Covid-19 cases in some states, the Center delegated high-level multidisciplinary teams on Wednesday to visit 10 states that have witnessed an increase in infections.
The central teams will visit Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to find out the reason behind the peak in the cases.
The teams will support states in public health measures for targeted Covid response and management, the Department of Health said.
The center has advised states and UTs to regularly review the emerging situation with concerned district officials to ensure that the gains made in Covid’s management so far are not lost.
The center has also written to Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and J&K. “States should focus on taking aggressive action to break the chain of transmission and ensure that RT-PCR testing is strengthened to clear as yet undiscovered cases from the population,” Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in the letter.
These states / UT have been advised to expand testing in the affected districts in a targeted manner and to ensure that all symptomatic negatives of antigen testing are mandatory through RT-PCR testing. Those who test positive should be isolated or hospitalized immediately, all their close contacts tracked down, and also tested immediately, Bhushan said.
“Any laxity in implementing stringent measures to control the spread, especially in view of new strains of the virus being observed in certain countries, could make the situation worse,” he added.