Positivity rate uptick in Delhi largely due to focused testing: Experts allay fears

0
177

[google-translator]

Even as the Covid-19 test positivity rate in Delhi stayed above 1% for the third straight day on Wednesday, health experts allayed fears and said the numbers merited little concern, attributing the minor uptick to lesser, more targeted testing, even as the Capital has shed all pandemic-related restrictions, including the mask mandate.

Delhi added 126 cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, with 1.12% of the tested samples returning positive samples. The test positivity rate was 1.05% on Tuesday and 1.34% on Monday, when it breached the 1% mark for the first time in 38 days.

Before that, Delhi’s positivity rate was above 1% on February 24 this year, as fresh cases began to wind down at the end of the Omicron-driven fifth wave of Covid-19.

Health experts and state officials, however, said this rise was down primarily do a dip in testing numbers that has come as a result of more focussed, targeted sampling, since there are few testing requirements in place. Airports, for instance, no longer mandate a negative Covid-19 test report, instead requiring a vaccination certificate.

Earlier, the Centre did away with mandatory Covid-19 tests before hospital admissions or surgical procedures.

Further, the milder symptoms caused by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus have meant that several people either forego getting a test, or get a home test using a rapid antigen kit, results from many of which go unreported.

Official said that while these resulted in lower testing numbers, they also, conversely, resulted in more accurate test positivity rates.

“We are currently testing only those who genuinely need to be tested. So, when your denominator is so precise, the positivity rate will naturally see a marginal uptick. However, it is important to note that even with targeted testing and all economic activities resuming at the pre-pandemic level, our positivity rate is still below 2% and that is a promising situation,” said a senior health official.

Official also dismissed claims that the positivity rate spike was because of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority’s (DDMA) move to remove fines for not wearing masks in the city.

“It is too early to make that connection. You can speak to health experts to understand that Delhi has reached a position where we can relax our mask mandate. Our vaccination coverage is high and so is our sero positivity rate,” the official said.

Health experts also stressed that currently, the Covid numbers in the Capital are not worrying. However, people must continue to follow Covid appropriate behaviour, at least when venturing into crowded places as a precautionary measure so that there is no further surge in cases.

“I have also been seeing more patients come in for Covid-19 consultations but the situation is not worrying. We have gone back to the pre-pandemic situation and everything has opened up. This will naturally have some impact on the numbers,” said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant at Apollo Hospital.

Dr Lalit Kant, former head of the epidemiology and communicable diseases department in the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said a two or three day fluctuation in numbers should not be cause for concern. He said if the rise continues for at least a week then the government can consider increasing testing to pinpoint areas where the caseload may be high.

“These are isolated fluctuations in numbers. We need to be more watchful and if the numbers are consistently increasing then we can consider measures to improve our testing,” Dr Kant said.


Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here