Centre stresses on stringent measures to check Covid spread during Kumbh
Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in the nation, the Union Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to Uttarakhand chief secretary strongly highlighting the concerns raised by the high level central team in its visit to Uttarakhand and about the need of stringent measures to control the spread of Covid-19 during Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.
A high level central team led by National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) director had visited Uttarakhand on March 16-17 to review the medical and public health preparedness measures undertaken by the state for the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.
The Union Health secretary has also observed that currently more than 12 states in India have shown a surge in Covid-19 cases during past few weeks, and pilgrims expected to visit Haridwar during the Kumbh Mela could also be from these States. It has been noted that there is a potential of an upsurge in cases in the local population after the auspicious Shahi Snan days during the Kumbh Mela.
Bhushan also pointed out that as per the report of the central team, 10-20 pilgrims and 10-20 locals are being reported positive for Covid every day in Haridwar. This positivity rate has the potential to rapidly turn to an upsurge in cases, given the large footfall expected during Kumbh.
The State has been informed that the daily testing numbers reported in Haridwar (50,000 Rapid Antigen Tests and 5,000 RT-PCR tests) are not enough to effectively offset huge number of expected pilgrim footfall. The state has been advised that the share of RT-PCR tests being conducted at present needs to be significantly increased as per the ICMR guidelines to ensure that the pilgrims and local population are appropriately tested.
The State government has also been advised to follow the SOPs issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare scrupulously- display signages to disseminate the main points of these SoPs. The Centre has suggested increasing awareness of self-reporting, especially among local population, in case of symptoms suggestive of Covid-19, setting up system for generating early warning signals in areas with susceptible population by monitoring trend of ARI/ ILI cases through Emergency Operational Centres, targetting significantly enhanced testing in potential high transmission areas and continuing periodic testing of frontline workers before and after auspicious Snan days of the Kumbh. Bhushan has also urged the Uttarakhand government to take a stock of the public health measures being undertaken by the State in consonance with the aforesaid recommendations of the Health Ministry. It is pertinent to mention here that this letter comes at a time when the chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat has been stating repeatedly that unnecessary restrictions have been removed though Covid guidelines are to be followed during the Kumbh.
Monday, 22 March 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
