Up testing in NCR, bring positivity rate below 10%: Centre to Haryana
Faridabad, Ggm, Sonepat account for 66% of active cases
CHANDIGARH: The central government wants Haryana to increase coronavirus testing to a minimum of 140 samples per million per day particularly in the national capital region (NCR) districts of Faridabad, Gurugram and Sonepat and ensure that Faridabad and Gurugram have a sample positivity rate of less than 10%.
The increased testing would include the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and standard Q Covid-19 antigen detection test.
The state was informed in a meeting held by Union home minister Amit Shah with chief ministers of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on Thursday to review their Covid-19 response in Delhi-NCR region.
Faridabad, Gurugram and Sonepat abutting Delhi have a sample positivity rate of over 6%, regarded as a critical value as per the parameters of the Union health ministry. As per last week’s statistics, Faridabad had a sample positivity rate of 15.6 % followed by Gurugram at 13.4 % and Sonepat at 6.6%. The sample positivity rate or confirmation rate is the percentage of patients found infected by coronavirus after being tested.
No wonder, the three account for 66 % of the total active and 70% of the cumulative positive cases in the state.
As per the statistics shared on Thursday by the Centre’s empowered group set up to devise medical emergency management plan, Faridabad and Gurugram districts were achieving the testing criteria set by the central government, testing 192 and 482 samples per million per day respectively. Sonepat district though was lagging behind at 95 samples per million per day.
Additional chief secretary (ACS), health, Rajeev Arora said they have already done over 3,000 antigen detection test in Gurugram. “The antigen detection test in Faridabad, Sonepat and Jhajjar started on Thursday,’’
Arora said indicating to the ramped up testing.
As per state health department statistics, 10 districts – Panchkula, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Charkhi Dadri, Hisar, Kaithal, Fatehabad, Jind, Yamunanagar and Sirsa— have a sample positivity rate of less than 2 %, a desirable value as per the Union health ministry. Whereas Bhiwani (5.9%) and Rewari (5.8%) are closing in on the 6% critical value mark, there are seven districts – Ambala, Palwal, Panipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Mahendragarh and Nuh where sample positivity rate is between more than 2 % but less than 6 %.
KEEP DEATH RATE BELOW 1%
The state government was also told to make efforts to keep the fatality rate below 1% in the NCR districts. As per the statistics, Faridabad has a case fatality rate of 2.1%, Gurugram has 1.7 %, Sonepat and Jhajjar each have fatality rate of 1.5%.
“The empowered group stressed on assured testing, consultation, ambulance and bed availability to achieve this target,’’ said an official who attended the meeting. Shah also sought adoption of a common strategy for the containment of infection in NCR including Delhi.