Andhra Pradesh: Coronavirus raises its ugly head again

Amaravati: Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary and Dr Vinod K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog on Saturday interacted with the Health Secretary and MDs (National Health Mission) of Andhra Pradesh expressing concern over decreasing Covid-19 tests in Andhra Pradesh. Odisha, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and UTs of Delhi and Chandigarh were among other States interacted upon. According to the Union Health Ministry officials, AP has in the recent past seen an increased number of positive cases.

The review of the ongoing public health measures of surveillance, containment and management of Covid cases became essential in wake of the steep rise in daily new cases of Covid and the high number of active caseload being reported.

It was pointed out that 10 districts in Andhra Pradesh continue to be of concern as these districts were seeing a decrease in total tests being conducted, low share of RT-PCR tests, increase in weekly positivity and low number of contact tracing of the Covid positive cases.

These together can pose high risk of transmission to the neighbouring States and UTs, the officials said. A granular analysis of the Covid response in the districts was shared with the State officials.

Andhra Pradesh was asked to continue with the effective strategy of 'Test Track & Treat' that had yielded rich dividends at the height of the pandemic; improve overall testing in districts reporting reduction in testing; increase share of RT-PCR tests in districts dependent on high levels of antigen testing; refocus on surveillance and stringent containment of those areas in selected districts which are seeing cluster of cases; carry out an average close contact tracing of minimum of 20 persons per positive case, focus on clinical management in districts reporting higher deaths, actuate their health infrastructure to provide effective clinical management to all the patients as a surge in cases also affects the case fatality rate in those districts; accelerate vaccination for priority population groups in districts reporting higher cases; make optimal use of the available vaccine doses and focus on critical districts, to collaborate with the private hospitals to open up vaccination time-table for a minimum of 15 days and maximum of 28 days at a time and promote Covid-appropriate behaviour through communication and enforcement.

Stress was laid on prompt isolation and on medical supervision of those active cases presently in home isolation for early identification of progressive deterioration of the disease. The State was also asked to actively watch out for super-spreading events and share their best practices in breaking the chain of transmission.