After first Covid meet, LG re-ups test, track, treat plan to check case uptick

Alok KN Mishra

NEW DELHI: Delhi needs to enhance its Covid-19 testing numbers and improve booster dose coverage, Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena said on Monday after a meeting with deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and senior state and civic officials amid a slight, but steady uptick in daily infections in the city.

“Underlining the need for enhanced testing, coupled with a focus on the test, track, treat and vaccinate strategy to successfully fight the pandemic, the LG also instructed officials to ensure genome sequencing of cases being reported to proactively address any new variant [that may be detected],” an official from the

LG’S office said on Monday.

Daily Covid-19 numbers have seen a gradual rise over the past couple of weeks, amid a nationwide increase in cases, driven primarily by Maharashtra and Kerala. To be sure, hospitalisations and deaths have not picked up at the same pace, which experts said is likely because the Omicron variant of the coronavirus — that causes milder infections — continues to make up the vast majority of all infections in Delhi.

Delhi added 614 cases on Monday, down from 735 a day before, on the back of a significant drop in testing (usually seen on Sundays). The city has added an average of 634 cases each day over the past week, up from 351 in the week ending June 6.

The test positivity rate however, shot up to 7.06% on Monday, from 4.35% a day ago, owing largely to the dip in tests. Collected samples on Monday fell to 8,600, from 16,878 on Sunday.

Monday’s test positivity rate was the highest in 41 days, since 7.64% on May 4 this year.

The Delhi health department has directed districts to ramp up enforcement across the city and ensure that Covid-appropriate behaviour is followed.

The LG also underlined the importance of boosters to battle the pandemic, even as he lauded Delhi’s strong double-dose vaccination numbers.

“He advised officials to take necessary steps to enhance them through a public outreach program,” the LG’S office said.

Meanwhile, in a meeting to review the status of vector-borne diseases, Saxena directed officials to consult experts to ascertain if a new strain of dengue had evolved.

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