With the lack of the coronavirus testing, the number of death due to the infection might spike up, a three-member team of Central officials has alerted Bihar. The COVID-19 test ratio can affect the mortality rate in the state. Bihar currently has the lowest testing and mortality rate of 0.69% in India at 3,423 per million. The infection can spread as a result of low testing and it can affect the coronavirus fatality rate.
More than 1000 cases are being reported daily in Bihar from July 12. In the last seven days, 90% of active cases have been reported. In the last one week (July 16-23), an average of 6% of new COVID-19 cases have spiked up every day.
The central team has also suggested taking action to enhance RT PCR(reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) testing. The central team called for antigen testing to take samples in contamination areas and hospitals, besides monitoring all symptomatic negative outcomes of antigen tests through RT PCR.
Meanwhile, ICMR has approved a total of nine laboratories comprising six government and three private to conduct RT PCR testing in Bihar.
The central team warned that East Champaran, Gaya, Rohtas, and Muzaffarpur are emerging hotspot districts of Bihar. Given the emerging cases of COVID-19 in Patna, Nalanda, Nawada, Siwan, West Champaran, Jamui, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, and Munger the team suggested increasing the number of testing in these districts.
The team also suggested setting up of temporary areas into hospitals in the state keeping in view the spread of COVID-19 in the next two months. Bihar had a total of 30,066 cases on Wednesday.
For the uninitiated, expressing concern over the increase in COVID-19 cases in Bihar, a three-member team led by Health Secretary Lav Agarwal, visited different parts of the state and containment zones over two days (July 19 and July 20). The team also had the director of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr S K Singh and Associate Professor of Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi, Dr Neeraj Nishchal as members.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 tally in India rose to 1,238,635 on Thursday after over 45,000 fresh cases were registered within 24 hours. The death toll also increased from 28,732 to 29,861.
