Tackling Covid-19: CM Yogi directs officials to step up surveillance, contact tracing

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh chief minister on Monday reviewed Covid-19 situation in the state, specifically 16 districts including Lucknow and given specific directions to the officials to intensify surveillance and contact tracing to contain the further spread of virus. These districts have been reporting more than 100 corona in a week.

As per the official release, CM Yogi also asked officials to ensure that COVID positivity rate remains below 5% and death rate below 1% in the state.

“There is a necessity to target high-risk groups and make those groups undergo testing. These combined endeavours are the only way to keep death rate low and Covid-19 under control,” he said.

Nodal officers have been deployed to these 16 districts reporting more than 100 cases in a week.

During the review meeting, CM Yogi said that the testing should be focussed, and one-third of the testing should be through RTPCR and the rest by Rapid Antigen method.

“He particularly pointed out that the focus testing is less in Lucknow and should be increased,” the release said.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to activate Rapid Response teams through Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC) in every district and said the DMs and CMOs should hold morning meetings in COVID hospital while the evening meetings should take place in ICCC compulsorily.

“The Chief Minister asked to create micro containment zones with areas being reduced and more compact than the containment zones earlier. The PRD jawans, NCC cadets, Social workers and volunteers should be involved in this. He emphasised that the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) should be kept under control and the district where it is more than one, the contact tracing and surveillance should be more aggressive,” it said.

The chief minister also direct hospitals to keep themselves equipped with all the facilities including oxygen and ventilators.

“He directed the Health and Medical Education Department to make available facilities of virtual ICUs in all the L-2 and L-3 hospitals and said the mass awareness drive should remain continued with the public address system in place,” release added.