Mahrashtra: Experts call for increased testing as 27 districts lag state average

Pune: Twenty seven districts in the state have been directed to ramp up daily Covid-19 testing for their failure to meet the state average, especially in the wake of the emergence of the Delta plus variant.
According to a report submitted to the state cabinet on Wednesday, these districts have been found testing less than the state’s average of 3.08 lakh tests per 10 lakh population since last month.The state health department has issued detailed guidelines to these districts to ramp up testing and contact tracing.
Among the 27 districts, Hingoli, Nandurbar, Palghar, Dhule, Buldhana, Nanded, Parbhani, Kolhapur and Raigad feature at the bottom with an average of 1.5 lakh tests per 10 lakh population, state health officials said.
“With the emergence of the Delta plus variant, districts have to increase testing and contact tracing,” said director of health services Dr Archana Patil. Patil has outlined the need for ILI/SARI surveillance in the areas of the index cases. So far, the Delta plus variant has been found in seven districts, including nine cases in Ratnagiri, seven in Jalgaon, two in Mumbai and one each in Palghar, Thane and Sindhudurg.
The CM in his review meeting held on Thursday directed Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Hingoli districts to stay cautious and increase testing and contact tracing ahead of the impending threat of the third wave.