MP's Covid testing rate one of the lowest in India

BHOPAL: Public health infrastructure is going to be put to the test in the coming days in Madhya Pradesh as Covid-19 cases spike to new highs. On Thursday, the state recorded it’s highest one-day count of 1,014 cases.

Madhya Pradesh conducts just about 218 tests per day per million population, according to the Union ministry of health data on Friday.

It is one of the lowest rates of testing in India.

WHO — in its guidance note on ‘Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of Covid-19’ — has advised comprehensive surveillance for suspected cases.

Covid-19 management efforts are in place for months, even as the anticipated surge in infection is taking place, said a senior health department official.

Experts from AIIMS Bhopal, who are nodal representatives of the Union health ministry, have been blunt about the increase in cases, owing to movement and migration.

Bhopal has turned into the new Covid-19 hotspot of the state since the past few weeks and is the biggest contributor to the positives tally and death toll during the past week.

Bhopal reported 1,602 cases from August 1 to 13, taking its tally to above 8,000. It also reported as many as 55 deaths in the same duration.

Indore continues to have the highest overall number of cases at 9,257, of which, more than 1,800 were added in the first 13 days of August.

In this duration, 30 plus deaths have been reported in Indore.

Earlier in May, nine districts — Barwani, Agar-Malwa, Shajapur, Sheopur, Alirajpur, Harda, Shahdol, Tikamgarh and Betul — were declared coronavirus-free. The same districts are now reporting roughly 7% or more than 3,000 Covid-19 cases.