Covid sampling has almost been doubled in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, Dec 30 (IANS) As Covid-19 cases surge around the world, Covid sampling has almost been doubled in Uttar Pradesh.

While genome sequencing is being ensured for all those testing positive for the infection, the test positivity rate (TPR) remains low.

According to statistics, the TPR in the last 24 hours was 0.01 and five people tested positive in more than 47,000 tests (including more than 23,000 RT-PCR tests).

State Surveillance Officer, Vikasendu Agrawal, said, "The sample of each patient testing positive for Covid is sent for genome sequencing. At present, there are 20 samples for genome sequencing in the state."

The average daily sample collection till the third week of December was 27,000 and now it has been increased to 50,000 a day.

Till now, Uttar Pradesh has tested 12,69,78,771 samples since the pandemic began in March 2020.

"There are 47 active cases in the state at present," Agrawal added.

Testing has been ramped up in the wake of Covid spike in some countries and the rush of foreign travellers for the New Year.

Experts said people travelling out of the state/country should ensure they stay in home quarantine.

Abhishek Shukla, Secretary General, Association of International Doctors, said, "Once the virus infects a person, the symptoms take a few days to show up. Hence, if people stay in home isolation by themselves, it will be the best way to check the spread of infection."

Contact tracing has also been stepped up in Lucknow. Instead of the earlier up to 30 people, now at least 50 people will be tracked for each positive case.

The state capital has five active Covid cases after it got 'zero covid' status on December 7.

"Increased contact tracing will help us detect any Covid positive case at an early stage," said Manoj Agrawal, Chief Medical Officer, Lucknow.