Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has asks all States and UTs "to immediately increase testing in a strategic manner keeping in view the trend of case positivity in specific areas" in the respective States and UTs.
The Health Ministry said testing remains a key strategy for pandemic management on the following two counts:
1. Identification of new clusters and new hotspots which can in turn facilitate immediate action for containment such as setting up of containment zones, contact tracing, quarantining, isolation and follow up. This can enable the State and district administration to curb the spread of infection.
2. Ensuring reduction in mortality and morbidity. Progression of the disease to a severe category can be averted by strategic testing of those who are at high risk and more vulnerable, as well as in areas where the spread is likely to be higher.
The Health Ministry further reiterated at all those who are symptomatic must be tested and all at risk contacts of laboratory confirmed cases must also be tested.
Meanwhile, with 2,38,018 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 3,76,18,271, which includes 8,891 cases of the Omicron variant, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
The active cases have increased to 17,36,628, the highest in 230 days, while the death toll has climbed to 4,86,761 with 310 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
There has been an 8.31 per cent increase in Omicron cases since Monday, the ministry said.
The active cases comprise 4.62 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has decreased to 94.09 per cent, the ministry said.
An increase of 80,287 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 14.43 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 14.92 per cent, according to the ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,53,94,882, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.29 per cent.
(With PTI inputs)
