Centre tells states to pull socks up after dip in testing numbers

This comes a week after an advisory by ICMR detailing the list of people who needn't be tested for Covid, such as asymptomatic individuals in community settings

A week after an advisory by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) detailing the list of people who need not be tested for Covid, such as asymptomatic individuals in community settings, the Centre has asked states to ramp up testing after noticing a dip in testing numbers. 

In a letter Arti Ahuja, additional secretary, health ministry has said that it is incumbent upon all states to enhance testing and increase it in a strategic manner keeping in mind the trends in case positivity in specific geographies. 

The Centre’s advisory, Ahuja said, had to be read in conjunction with earlier