Adityanath directs officials to intensify surveillance, contact tracing

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the state, especially in 16 districts where more than 100 cases have been reported within a week, on Sunday.

As per the official release, the Chief Minister directed the officials to intensify surveillance and contact tracing in order to keep COVID positivity rate below five per cent and the death rate below one per cent in the state.

"There is a necessity to target high-risk groups and make those groups undergo testing. These combined endeavours are the only way to keep death rate low and Covid-19 under control," he said.

Adiyanath has already deployed nodal officers for the 16 districts where more than 100 cases have been reported within a week and had asked them to work out an effective strategy in consultation with the District Magistrates (DM), Chief Medical Officers (CMO), and senior Health and Medical Education officers in the government.

During the meeting, he said that the testing should be focussed, and one-third of the testing should be through RTPCR and the rest by Rapid Antigen method.

"He particularly pointed out that the focus testing is less in Lucknow and should be increased," the release said.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to activate Rapid Response teams through Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC) in every district and said the DMs and CMOs should hold morning meetings in COVID hospital while the evening meetings should take place in ICCC compulsorily.

"The Chief Minister asked to create micro containment zones with areas being reduced and more compact than the containment zones earlier. The PRD jawans, NCC cadets, Social workers and volunteers should be involved in this. He emphasised that the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) should be kept under control and the district where it is more than one, the contact tracing and surveillance should be more aggressive," it said.

Adityanath said that the hospitals in the state should be equipped with all the facilities including oxygen and ventilators.

"He directed the Health and Medical Education Department to make available facilities of virtual ICUs in all the L-2 and L-3 hospitals and said the mass awareness drive should remain continued with the public address system in place," release added.

As per the release the Chief Minister further directed the nodal officers to submit their daily report to the Chief Minister's office as well.

"He said the social distancing norms should be followed completely and the enforcement exercise should be undertaken to ensure it," the release stated.