Mamata govt plans ramping up testing

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The prospect of community transmission looms large if we do not implement the lockdown strictly.

MAMATA BANERJEE, chief minister

nKOLKATA: Amid allegations that not enough tests are being conducted to detect Covid-19 cases in West Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s government has decided to expand testing to include even asymptomatic (those showing no symptoms) people.

“Swab samples {to} be taken for all symptomatic contacts, and all asymptomatic direct and highrisk contacts of a confirmed case as per Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines and in clusters and quarantine centres, as deemed fit by the local administration,” said a directive issued by the state government.

The step is a part of the state government’s 11-point containment and treatment strategy for high-risk spots announced on Monday.

“This is a huge step by the government. Lockdown and policing alone cannot bring about desired results. We need to ramp up testing. We need to go for random sampling as we need to identify asymptomatic carriers,” said Kunal Sarkar, a cardiologist.

Around 12,200 people are now under observation in 582 institutional quarantine centres run by the state.

They are likely to be tested, a senior heath official said.

COMMUNITY SPREAD LOOMS LARGE: MAMTA

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee Friday announced strong measures to ensure strict implementation of the lockdown and announced deploying armed police in all areas marked as ‘red zone’.

The Union government has identified Kolkata and Howrah as red zones – where the number of cases could easily double within four days.

Her remarks came in a wake of increasing number of people testing positive over the past few days. Over the last three days, 63 persons tested positive.

“The prospect of community transmission looms large if we do not implement the lockdown strictly. I don’t want to see crowding in the markets. Armed police personnel will also be deployed in markets if necessary,” she said.

There was a significant change in the chief minister’s body language on Friday. The chief minister had so long been insisting that the state would have a ‘lockdown with a humane face’ and instructed the police not to indulge in excesses.

However, on Friday, she said, “Whoever breaks lockdown will face legal action. We will land in great danger if the lockdown is not strictly followed.”