New Delhi: With the number of coronavirus cases rapidly increasing in Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Odisha, the Union Health Ministry has asked these States to make more efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19 and keep case fatality rate below one per cent.
In a letter to Principal Secretaries (Health) and Secretary (Health) of these states, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health Lav Agarwal asked them to ensure that at least 80 per cent of the new cases have their close contacts traced and are in quarantine within 72 hours of case confirmation.
The Health Ministry emphasised that the restrictions should be utilised to focus on containment, surveillance and testing in containment and buffer zones as the key strategy for early detection of cases and fatality management.
“In terms of testing the state should aim to achieve a minimum of 14 tests per one lakh (140 tests per million) per day, while ensuring a positivity rate of less than 10 per cent.”