Nine states and a Union territory have been told by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to ramp up testing and tracing to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic effectively as they accounted for 89 percent of the fatalities in the last two weeks. 

Gauba, along with the union health secretary, held a video-conference with the chief secretaries and health secretaries of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday to assess the situation in the states. 

According to the press information bureau, these states account for 89 percent of the deaths in the last two weeks. “Union Health Secretary made a detailed presentation on the current status of Covid-19 in these States/UT, with a focus on districts reporting high case fatality and the need to refine as well as strengthen approach and strategies relating to testing, contact tracing, surveillance, containment, home isolation, availability of ambulances, hospital beds, oxygen, treatment protocols,” said a statement issued by the press information bureau. 

India reported over 75,000 cases on Wednesday in a highest single-day spike. 

Also read: Covid-19 ‘Act of God’, may result in contraction of economy – Nirmala Sitharaman

The cabinet secretary has advised the states to initiate ‘effective containment, contact tracing and surveillance’. They have further been told to ensure that at least in 80 percent of new positive cases, all close contacts should be traced and tested with 72 hours.

The states have also been asked to ensure 140 tests per million per day in districts while targeting positivity in containment zones at a rate of greater than 5 percent. They have also been asked to share information on the availability of beds and ambulances in the public domain and monitor week-wise fatality rates for each health facility with a focus on vulnerable patients.

“The Chief Secretaries explained about the current situation in the States/UT and their preparedness to tackle the spread of Covid-19, health infrastructure available to meet the challenge and steps taken to strengthen it further. States/UT also highlighted steps taken towards reducing case fatality as well as involving the community in terms of Covid safe behaviour,” the statement added.