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Covid-19: India asks states to ramp up testing

Sources say the reason behind the Covid spike in India is the Omicron variant which has started replacing its predecessor Delta

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India’s health ministry has advised states and union territories to enhance testing, strengthen hospital preparedness, increase vaccination pace and strict restrictions to counter the spread of infection.

As per the ministry’s data, 67.76 crore samples have been tested for Covid-19 in India till December 30, 2021. There are 3,117 Covid-19 testing laboratories including 2,014 RTPCR, 941 antibody test, 132 CBNAAT and 30 others, across the country.

The country has 204 firms making RT-PCR test kits, 53 making rapid antigen kits, seven manufacturing home rapid antigen testing kits and four are in pipeline. India’s daily testing capacity is more than 2 million.

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India noted a surge in Covid-19 cases across the country, while official sources said that the reason behind the spike is the Omicron variant which has started replacing its predecessor Delta in India and the world.

As per the sources, Omicron variant infections account for around 80 per cent of Covid-19 cases detected among international travellers.

“The trend of an increasing number of Covid-19 cases shows that it is due to Omicron, which is replacing Delta in India and globally as well,” official sources told ANI.

However, most of the patients infected with Omicron are asymptomatic and some of them are mildly symptomatic, they added.

• coronavirus
• India