MOHFW urges Telangana Govt to take proactive measures for Covid-19

Telangana government was urged to take proactive measures including adequate testing and adopting test-track-treat and vaccination strategy for effective management of Covid-19 infections

Hyderabad: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has urged the Telangana government to take proactive measures including adequate testing and adopting test-track-treat and vaccination strategy for effective management of Covid-19 infections.

In a letter to Telangana Health Secretary, SAM Rizvi, the MOHFW Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan cited Telangana reporting an increase in weekly cases from 132 in week ending on March 8 to 267 by March 15, with an increase in positivity rate by 0.31 percent, and advised caution.

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“It is advised that State should examine the situation of Covid-19 at micro level (district and sub-districts) and maintain focus on implementing measures for prompt and effective management of Covid-19. It is essential that the State maintains a strict watch and take pre-emotive action if required in any areas of concern to control emerging spread of infection,” Rajesh Bhushan said.

The State government was recommended to launch adequate and proactive testing as per guidelines, monitor new and emerging clusters of new Covid-19 cases, track Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) cases in hospitals through dedicated fever clinics or on a regular basis to detect early warning signals of the spread of the infection.

Genomic sequencing for prescribed samples of international passengers, collection of samples from sentinel sites and local clusters must be taken up. Proactive promotion to increase administration of precaution dose for all eligible beneficiaries and Covid appropriate behavior particularly in enclosed spaces and in crowded spaces must be implemented.

The MOHFW Secretary in his letter acknowledged that there are a few States that are reporting higher number of Covid-19 cases indicating a possible localized spread of infection and the 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.