Centre Asks West Bengal, Assam To Enforce Covid-Appropriate Behaviour Amid Fear Of Third Wave

The Additional Secretary also underlined early signs of rise in positivity since the last four weeks till October 25.

New Delhi: Emphasising on strict enforcement of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, the Centre has in light of the rising coronavirus cases, weekly positivity rates and decreasing testing figures in Assam and West Bengal asked the two state governments to undertake a review of these parameters.

Union Health Ministry Additional Secretary Arti Ahuja in a letter to the chief secretaries of Assam and West Bengal earlier on October 26 highlighted increase in weekly new Covid cases since the past week.

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The Additional Secretary also underlined early signs of rise in positivity since the last four weeks till October 25.

Observing that Covid cases surge exponentially where basic public health strategy (testing, tracking, treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour and vaccination) is not followed rigorously, Ahuja stressed on monitoring of cases by proper implementation of containment-zones, increased focus on house-to-house search for active Covid cases within these zones, strict and daily monitoring of cases under home isolation and their referral to hospitals and strengthening contact tracing of Covid-19 positive people and review of containment zones in Assam and West Bengal, PTI reported.

She also underlined in her letter strengthening the system for early and smooth admission of cases along with a real-time public dashboard highlighting the available hospital or bed infrastructure, strict adherence to National Treatment Protocols, augmenting ICUs, oxygen beds and ventilator capacity in the state and ramping up testing figures, while maintaining the share of RT-PCR tests.

The Additional Secretary in her letter to the two chief secretaries said aim for 100 percent first dose coverage of 18-plus population along with increasing the pace of the second dose of vaccination for eligible population.

In her letter to the chief secretary of Assam, she pointed out that there has been 41 percent increase in weekly new cases since the past week and added that there have been early signs of rise in positivity since the last four weeks from 1.89 percent in the week of September 28 to October 4 to 2.22 percent in the week of October 19 to 25.

The Additional Secretary in her letter pointed out that Assam’s two districts Barpeta and Kamrup Metro have been identified as districts of concern due to high quantum of Covid cases and weekly positivity.

Likewise, Ahuja in her letter to the chief secretary of West Bengal said the two districts of Kolkata and Howrah have been identified as districts of concern due to high quantum of cases and positivity.

Highlighting that West Bengal has shown approximately 41 percent rise in weekly new cases since the past week, the Additional Secretary pointed out that 6,040 cases came to the fore in the week of October 20-26 compared to 4,277 cases in the week of October 13-19.

She also pointed out that there have been early signs of increase in positivity since the past four weeks from 1.93 percent in the week of September 28 to October 4 to 2.39 percent during October 19 to 25.

Expressing concern over the rise in Covid cases in Kolkata, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had earlier on October 22 also written to West Bengal following the Durga Puja celebrations earlier this month.