Center instructs states to to ramp up testing, Night curfew in Pune, Lockdown in Amravati

New Delhi : After seeing an increase in the number of corona infections once again in six states of the country, the central government has directed all the states to increase the tests. The Center has been writing a second letter to states asking them to extend RT-PCR test with immediate effect.

Also, it has been asked to make RT-PCR test mandatory when rapid antigen test is negative. States have been given strict instructions that there should be no harm in this. Also, to prevent the spread of infection, it has been asked not to be negligent in the containment zone.

The Union Health Ministry said on Sunday, 6281 cases in Maharashtra, 4650 in Kerala, 257 in Madhya Pradesh, 352 in Punjab, 68 in Jammu and Kashmir and 263 in Chhattisgarh have been reported in the last 24 hours.

Maharashtra and Kerala account for 74 percent of the country’s patients. The highest alertness is needed in Kerala’s Alappuzha district as the infection rate has reached 10.7 percent in a week. Similarly, Akola in Maharashtra has recorded an infection rate of 55 percent, the highest in the country.

Corona cases have increased from 165 to 364 in a week in SBS Nagar in Punjab. The weekly infection rate in Maharashtra is 8.10 percent and in Kerala is 7.90 percent, while at the national level the rate is 1.79 percent.

The Ministry says that as cases have increased in some states, there is a need to increase genome sequencing in the affected districts. New strains of the virus may occur in these districts. Recently three types of strains were confirmed to be found in India including South Africa and Britain.

Center asked states to implement these things immediately –
– The RT-PCR test should be increased.
– Focus on strict controls with strict and comprehensive monitoring in selected districts.
– Monitoring of cluster cases through genome sequencing post-test.
– Focus on clinical management in districts reporting more deaths.

Lockdown in Amravati –
One week long lockdown has been imposed in Maharashtra’s Amravati district for a week from Monday. Minister Yashomati Thakur said on Sunday, due to increasing infection, it has been decided to put a lockdown from February 22 to March 8 at 8 am. Apart from this, some restrictions have also been imposed in Akola, Washim, Buldhana and Yavatmal of Amravati Division.

Night curfew in Pune, school-college closed till 28 –
In Pune, all schools and colleges have been closed till 28 February following rising cases of corona infection. At the same time, people are not allowed to go out, except those connected with essential services from 11 am to 6 am.

Pune’s Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao said that private coaching institutes will also be closed till 28 February. However, the library will open with 50 percent capacity as competitive exams are close. On Saturday, 998 new cases were found in Pune, while nine people died.