UP’s test nos far ahead of WHO norms: Govt

LUCKNOW: The tally of Covid-19 tests conducted in Uttar Pradesh reached 46.74 lakh (4.67 million) with 1,21,553 samples having been tested on Sunday alone, additional chief secretary (health and family welfare) Amit Mohan Prasad said on Monday.

Uttar Pradesh was conducting 32,000 tests per 10 lakh (million) population which was four times more than the norms set by World Health Organisation (WHO), he said.

Uttar Pradesh has been able to keep the positivity rate below 5 %. Between August 1 and 23, the positivity rate in UP remained 4.8%,

he added. Prasad said there were 49,288 active coronavirus patients in the state, including 24,482 people in home isolation, 2,134 in private hospitals and 269 in hotel isolation. The remaining patients were admitted in state

government-run facilities. Only asymptomatic patients were permitted home isolation, he said, adding that they would have to be shifted to hospital if any symptoms surfaced.

The recovery rate of Covid patients in the state had increased to 72.82%, he said. Out of the 77,608 people who had opted for home isolation till now, 53,126 recovered.

The 62,744 Covid helpdesks established across the state identified 6.75 lakh symptomatic people and their samples were sent for tests, he said.

Additional chief secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said there were 14,642 containment zones in Uttar Pradesh.

The health teams surveyed 13.62 lakh houses and 79.27 lakh people, he said.

Currently, there are 37,688 positive cases in these containment zones.