Centre asks States to Increase Testing for COVID-19 and Setting Up of Containment Zones, Micro Containment Zones to Break Chain of Transmission

The Centre has asked the States reporting a surge in COVID-19 cases to take immediate and high effective measures to ensure containment of active cases and daily deaths through adherence to the standard Clinical Management Protocol. Eleven states and Union Territories including Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Delhi, Haryana, and Chhattisgarh have been categorized as States of grave concern on account of rising daily cases and higher deaths.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba yesterday chaired a high-level review meeting with Chief Secretaries, DG Police, and Health Secretaries of all States and Union Territories. During the meeting, it was pointed out that Tier II and Tier III cities along with peri-urban areas have recorded the recent rise in COVID cases. It was also highlighted that the spread of infection from these



areas to the rural areas with weak health infrastructure would overwhelm the local administration.

The States have been asked to increase testing continuously to ensure that positivity comes down to five percent or less. Focus on ensuring RT-PCR tests should comprise 70 percent of total tests and setting up of Containment Zones and Micro Containment Zones to break the chain of transmission was also advised.

Taking note of the present situation due to the continuous deterioration of the COVID scenario over a fortnight, the Cabinet Secretary pointed out that the current COVID case growth rate of 6.8 percent last month has surpassed the previous record of 5.5 percent in June 2020.

The country also reported a 5.5 percent growth rate in daily COVID deaths in this period.