On Friday, the Central Health Ministry reported 640 new cases of COVID-19 in the past day. Just two days ago, there were over 600 cases reported in a single day. The active cases have reached 2,997, with one patient succumbing to the infection.
There has been a significant change in monitoring the coronavirus situation in the country. Besides testing, vaccination, and genome sequencing, surveillance sampling has been integrated with the surveillance system to estimate the spread of infection accurately. The lack of a substantial increase in daily testing for coronavirus is considered a significant reason behind this change.
Upon the recommendation of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), the Central Health Ministry has advised states to conduct monitoring of patients affected by influenza in suspicious areas. Additionally, taking samples from severe cases can help identify the spread of infection in those areas. For this sampling, INSACOG has developed a separate platform where state governments can share information related to severe testing. So far, Odisha and three institutions in Bengal have provided information on 350 samples.
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist at the WHO, stated that while the situation of COVID-19 infection is currently well controlled in India, people should not consider common cold or cough as just that. People should not be alarmed if they show symptoms and should get tested.
The Central Health Ministry reported 640 new cases of COVID-19 in the past day. Just two days ago, there were over 600 cases reported in a single day. The active cases have reached 2,997, with one patient succumbing to the infection.
In the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Puducherry, Gujarat, and Telangana, the number of COVID-19 cases has increased.
A health ministry official stated that, apart from Kerala, there is limited information on new cases of COVID-19 in the remaining 11 states of the country. Most people, considering cold, cough, and flu-like symptoms as common, are not opting for COVID-19 tests. However, in areas where symptoms like influenza are prevalent, severe testing surveillance can be helpful. This can provide information about the spread of infection and the nature of the coronavirus in the respective areas.
