Centre asks states to enhance surveillance to trace Covid-19 cases

New Delh, March 24
The Central government on Tuesday asked all the state governments to further enhance surveillance to trace positive cases of coronavirus to break its chain of transmission across India.

In a letter written by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to all the Chief Secretaries of the states, the government noted that there has been an increasing trend in cases being reported in the country.

As per the data, 511 people in India have tested positive for Covid-19 so far, with an addition of 12 new cases on Tuesday. Ten people in India have died due to the contagious infection, which originated in Wuhan city of Hubei province in China over three months ago. Over 17,100 people have been killed and almost four lackh are infected worldwide.

On Tuesday, Gauba asked the states to "suitably supplement" state and district surveillance teams as well as the Rapid Response Teams (RRT).

"It is absolutely essential that surveillance and contact tracing of all positive cases is taken up and no suspected or high risk person is left out. It is important that while these tasks are being monitored at the state level by the state health secretaries, this activity is directly and regularly monitored at the district level by the district magistrates, involving the official machinery available in the district," Gauba said.

The Centre during a video conference had asked the state governments on Sunday to identify and earmark hospitals dedicated for management of Covid-19 cases. Gauba asked the state officials to upload the details of both the surveillance measures and the hospitals on the health online portal of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.