(file Photo)
Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : India has crossed a crucial milestone in the fight against COVID-19. For the first time, a record number of more than 10.5 lakh COVID sample tests have been conducted in a single day. With 10,55,027 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, India has further strengthened the national diagnostic capacity of testing more than 10 lakh samples daily.
With this achievement, the cumulative tests have crossed 4.14 crore (4,14,61,636). The Centre, keeping in view the evolving global context of COVID-19, had conceptualised and implemented the Continuum of Care strategy of “Test, Track and Treat” in close coordination with the State/UT governments. Pivoted on the strong pillar of aggressive testing, the positive cases are identified early which enables and ensures that their contacts are efficiently tracked. This is followed up with prompt isolation in home or facility setting for the mild and moderate cases, and hospitalisation for the severe and critical patients, according to a PIB release.
The exponential jump in the testing capacity and cumulative tests has resulted in an upsurge in the Tests Per Million and it was 30,044 on August 30, 2020.
The WHO, in its Guidance Note on “Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of COVID-19”, has advised comprehensive surveillance for suspected COVID-19 cases. It has advised that a country needs 140 tests/day/ million population. In another row of achievements, all State/UTs have crossed the advised number of tests. Several States have demonstrated better performance by registering Positivity Rate lower than the national average.
The Testing strategy also ensured a steady expansion of the national lab network. Today, with 1,003 labs in the government sector and 580 private labs, 1,583 labs are providing comprehensive testing facilities to the people.