Increase Covid-19 tests in Maharashtra to curb case count: Fadnavis

Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis alleged that despite his repeated requests, the state government has not increased the number of tests, due to which Sept reported a big rise in Covid-19 cases

Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra

Fadnavis on Thursday alleged that despite his repeated requests, the state government has not increased the number of tests, due to which September reported a big rise in COVID-19 cases.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, he said there was an urgent need to focus on increasing the number of tests in the state to bring the situation under control and get the wheels of economy moving.

"Despite pointing out about the need to increase the number of COVID-19 tests, the Maharashtra government is yet to do so," he said.

"It led to September reporting the highest growth in COVID-19 patients and deaths since April this year," the former chief minister said in the letter.

Of the total number of COVID-19 tests conducted in April, the infection percentage that month was 8.04 per cent. It rose to 18.07 per cent in May, 21.23 per cent in July. It came down to 18.44 per cent in August thanks to increased number of tests, Fadnavis said.

"However, the state again decreased the number of tests in September and the infection percentage jumped to 22.37 per cent, highest in the last six months," the leader of opposition in the state assembly said.

As many as 12,079 people died in the state in September alone. The number of casualties recorded that month was the highest in the last six months, Fadnavis said.

"The situation in Mumbai, the state capital and the business capital of the country, is worse. The state's daily average of COVID-19 test in Mumbai is merely 11,715. It resulted into infection percentage jumping from 13.63 per cent in August to 17.50 in September. Even national capital Delhi has increased its daily tests to 40,000," he said.

Townships located near Mumbai also reported a sizeable growth in COVID-19 cases because of low number of tests, the BJP leader said.

"The infection rate in neighbouring districts is higher than the state's average with Palghar district reporting 28 per cent, Raigad 31 per cent, Ratnagiri 20.1 per cent, Nashik and Ahmednagar 27 per cent each, while Osmanabad has 22.7 per cent COVID-19 infection compared to total number of tests conducted," he said.

Some of the remote areas have shown exponential growth in COVID-19 figures, he said.

"As compared to the number of cases in August, Bhandara district reported a jump of 663 per cent, Gondia 496 per cent, Chandrapur 570 per cent and Gadchiroli 465 per cent which are worsening the situation," Fadnavis said.

"By not increasing the number of daily tests, we are inviting a major trouble for ourselves," he said.