No need to panic over cases spike, detection is key: Govt

No need to panic over cases spike, detection is key: Govt

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 05.08.2020

Even as daily cases of Covid-19 infection are increasing rapidly, the Centre on Tuesday said there is no need to be “overawed” by the numbers so long as timely detection, isolation and treatment happens to prevent deaths.

“There is no need to be overawed from rising positive cases because in every country with large population bases, cases are bound to increase. It is important to find them in time, isolate and treat them,” health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said.

The government plans to bring up daily testing to 10 lakh tests, even as India’s daily positivity rate has come down to 8.89% though the weekly average remains at 11% with some states still reporting high positivity. Testing will be ramped up in such areas, Bhushan said.

“We have adopted a policy of intelligent and calibrated testing depending on which area needs more testing...We are trying to reach 10 lakh tests per day,” said Balram Bhargava, director general, ICMR. At present, 28 states and UTs have less than 10% positivity rate, while India is conducting 15,119 tests per million of population.

On the issue of vaccines, Bhargava said while there is no drug or vaccine available yet, but it is not just the development but prioritisation and distribution such as logistics, cold chain, stockpiling and training of people to administer the vaccine which are also important.