NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday asked five states witnessing a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases to closely monitor emerging clusters, maintain adequate number of tests, and send samples from infected individuals for genome sequencing.
The Centre noted that Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka were reporting higher number of daily cases.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to the states asking officials to keep a vigil on patients with influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory syndrome to detect early signs of the spread of the coronavirus infection.
In comparison to 15,708 C0vid-19 cases reported across India last week ending May 27, the number has increased to 21,055 this week, Bhushan said. The weekly test positivity had also risen from 0.52% to 0.73% within one week, he added.
As per the letter, 11 districts in Kerala, two districts in Tamil Nadu, one district in Karnataka and six districts in Maharashtra have reported an uptick in new cases and Covid-19 test positivity rate over the last few days.
“There are few states which are reporting a higher contribution to India’s cases indicating the possibility of a localised spread of the infection,” said the letter. “There is, therefore, a need to follow a risk assessment-based approach on the public health responses without losing the gains made so far in the fight against the pandemic.”
The five-fold strategy of test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour should be followed, along with monitoring of clusters of new Covid-19 cases and adequate testing as per guidelines, Bhushan said in the letter.
The health secretary mentioned that Tamil Nadu had reported an increase in weekly new cases from 335 in the week ending May 27 to 659 in the week ending June 3. The state has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week, from o.4% to 0.8%, he added.
While analysing district-wide Covid-19 situations, it has been observed that two districts, Chennai and Chengalpattu, have recorded an increase in weekly cases and positivity, and it requires focused intervention from the state administration, the letter stated.
Kerala has reported an increase in weekly new cases from 4,139 new infections in the week ending on May 27 to 6,556 in the week ending on June 3, accounting for 31.14 per cent of India’s new cases in the week ending on June 3. The state saw an increase in positivity in the last week from 5.2% to 7.8%, Bhushan mentioned in the letter.
While analyzing district-wide Covid-19 situation, it was observed that 11 districts – Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Alappuzha, Kollam, Kannur, Malappuram and Wayanad – have recorded an increase in weekly cases and positivity, he said.
It is a matter of concern that 11 out of 14 districts are reporting a rise in cases and positivity which require focused intervention from the state administration, he added.
Telangana, the letter highlighted, has reported an increase in weekly new cases from 287 new infections in the week ending on May 27 to 375 new infections in the week ending on June 3, accounting for 1.78% of India’s new cases in week ending on June 3. It has also seen an increase in the positivity in the last week from 0.4% to 0.5%.
Maharashtra has reported an increase in weekly new cases from 2,471 new infections in the week ending on May 27 to 4,883 in the week ending June 3, accounting for 23.19% of India’s new cases in week ending on June 3.
The state has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 1.5% to 3.1%, the letter stated.
It has been observed that six districts – Mumbai Suburban, Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Raigad and Palghar – have recorded an increase in weekly cases and positivity which require focused intervention from the administration, it added.
Karnataka has reported an increase in weekly new cases from 1,003 new infections in the week ending on May 27 to 1,446 in the week ending on June 3, accounting for 6.87% of India’s new cases in week ending on June 3. It has also seen an increase in positivity in the last week from 0.8% to 1.1%, the letter said.
A total of 4,041 new cases were recorded in India in a span of 24 hours while the death toll climbed to 5,24,651 with 10 fresh fatalities, according to government data at 8 am on Friday. This figure is the highest in 84 days, while the number of active cases across the country rose on the 11th day in a row.
(With inputs from agencies)
