Centre Asks Six States To Take Extra Measures Amid Rise In Covid-19 Cases

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday asked six states — Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka — to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19 infections, citing a possible localised spread of the virus.

“There are a few states which are reporting higher numbers of cases indicating possible localised spread of infection,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said in a letter to these states.

Bhushan advised these states to examine the situation of COVID-19 at micro-level and maintain focus on implementation of necessary measures for prompt and effective management of the disease, duly ensuring effective compliance with various advisories issued by the Ministry of Health.

“There is a need to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the infection, without losing the gains made so far in the fight against the pandemic,” Bhushan wrote.

He stressed on monitoring new and emerging clusters of new COVID-19 cases, influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases in all health facilities or through dedicated fever clinics on a regular basis for detecting early warning signals of the spread of infection.

He also stressed on genomic sequencing for prescribed samples of international passengers, collection of samples from sentinel sites (identified health facilities), and local clusters of cases, proactive promotion to increase administration of precaution dose for all eligible beneficiaries and following Covid-appropriate behaviour particularly in enclosed spaces and in crowded spaces.

“It is essential that the state must maintain a strict watch and take pre-emptive action if required in any areas of concern to control emerging spread of infection,” Bhushan said.