States asked to step up testing
NEW DELHI The Union health ministry on Sunday directed all states that have seen a resurgence of new Covid-19 infections to again step up vigilance against the disease by scaling up testing, using more gold-standard RT-PCR tests, reinforcing strict containment strategies and closely monitoring for mutant strains.
The direction comes at a time when states such as Maharashtra have seen a clear second
wave of infections rising over the past fortnight, forcing the reintroduction of social curbs such as lockdowns amid fears of mutant strains gaining ground. The states have also been asked to focus on better clinical management of patients in districts reporting high deaths.
Other than Maharashtra, regions such as Punjab, Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are all experiencing what appears to be the start of a second Covid wave. The first wave, meanwhile, continues unabated in Kerala.
Maharashtra and Kerala, by themselves, have been responsible for more than 75% of all new cases reported in the country in the past week. Pushed by these two, the seven-day average of daily cases across the country, which dropped to 10,988 for the week ending February 11, has again started rising — it stands at 12,387 in the past week.
In light of this resurgence, states have been directed not only to increase the number of tests but also raise the proportion of the more reliable RT-PCR tests. In fact, the states have been told to verify all the negative rapid antigen tests using an RT-PCR test. “All negative rapid antigen test results to be mandatorily followed by RT-PCR test and no such negative persons are to be missed,” the ministry said in a release.
With over 10 million cases of Covid-19 in India, experts believe that new variants of Sars-Cov-2 may emerge in the country due to selection pressure which is put on the virus with so many individuals being already infected.
FATORDA: FC Goa put paid to Bengaluru FC’s play-off hopes with a 2-1 win in ISL. Igor Angulo (20th) and Redeem Tlang (23rd) scored for Goa and Suresh Wangjam (33rd) reduced the margin. Kerala Blasters were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Chennaiyin. Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev (10th) gave Chennaiyin the lead and Gary Hooper (29, pen) equalised. Enes Sipovic was sent-off in the 80th minute.