Ordinary testing rate can't beat the virus
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: August 31, 2021 -
VARIATIONS in the daily infection rate amid the state continuing to record over 350-plus cases for the last few days implies inconsistency in tracing and testing of both primary and secondary cases.
With exception of only two days this month, when the test positivity rate was in the single digit, Manipur has been continuously witnessing positivity rate of above 10 per cent which is much higher than the national average.
Even as many other Covid-19 worst affected states have resumed normal activities due to improvement in the pandemic situation and are now planning to reopen educational institutions along with preparing to face the predicted third wave, it's an irony that Manipur continues to struggle to contain the second wave.
With 83,000-plus infections and more than 1400 lives lost so far in the second wave, it could be safely stated that the efforts to break the chain of transmission and save lives have not been up to the mark.
In view of health ministry officials and medical professionals cautioning in late June that the Covid-19 infections is more rapid in the second wave than the previous one, which peaked in September-October last year, it seemed that the government of Manipur had enough time to plan and execute the containment measures in the most effective manner.
Sadly, considering the deterioration in the pandemic situation in the state contrary to the testing rate remaining more or less the same throughout the second wave, it is obvious that the trace, test and treat protocols haven't been accorded importance.
The poor testing rate is in sharp contrast to a joint meeting of the State Covid Task Force and the State Steering Committee for Covid-19 Vaccine Administration held in the early stages of the second wave advising the health services authorities to submit a detailed report on preparations to shield the state from the imminent perilous.
Accepted that the number of people contracting the viral disease on daily basis has been less than recoveries but the fact remains that the rate of infection in the state is one of the highest in the country.
For instance, on Sunday, Kerala with 29,836 cases accounted for over half the total number of cases in India. The southern state also recorded test positivity rate of 19.67 per cent.
In Manipur's context, 19.11 per cent TPR was recorded on July 8 with 852 cases out of 5400 samples tested, thereby showing how low rate of testing has been abetting the health crisis.
Since May when 10,000 plus samples were tested on a day or two, the rate of testing has been showing downward trend contrary to surge in positive cases.
Nearer home in Mizoram, which recorded 800-plus cases on August 28 and 29, the positivity rate remained at 10.33 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively clearly indicating that the neighbouring state has been following a robust contact tracing and testing policy.
Another lesson that the state may learn from Mizoram is latter's daily update on the number of children and health professionals infected unlike Manipur where the official bulletins give more emphasis on figures related to availability of beds, distribution of medicaloxygen, administration of vaccine doses, purportedly to impress the public that the government is not sleeping over the situation.
As the health authorities seem infatuated with trying to present a rosy picture to cover up the rather worrisome situation, it is lamentable that the gold standard of tracing and testing is being grossly undermined.
It must be remembered that early detection of the infected people and their proper treatment has been the core of the containment measures periodically proposed by the Union ministry of health and the concerned experts.
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