NEW DELHI: The Union Health Ministry has written to states, including Kerala, to increase vigilance as the number of Covid cases is increasing daily.

The situation in Alappuzha district of Kerala is worrying. During the last four weeks, the test positivity rate in Alappuzha has increased to 10.7 percent and the number of weekly cases has increased to 2,833. Strict monitoring should be done here. During this period, the average weekly cases in Kerala ranged from 42,000 to 34,800 and the weekly diagnosis rate was 13.9 to 8.9 percent.

In five states, including Kerala, the weekly diagnosis rate is higher than the national average.

RTPCR mandatory

The defense activities should be strengthened in five areas, the Centre suggested.

The ratio of RT-PCR tests and the number of tests should be increased. Rapid antigen test result RT-PCR test is mandatory for all those who are negative. The virus should be monitored through genome sequencing following a series of tests. Treatment systems should be improved in districts where more deaths are reported

The number of Covid patients in the country has risen to 1.45 lakh. Kerala and Maharashtra account for more than 74 percent of the active cases. The number of patients is increasing daily in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir. As the number of patients increased, a week-long lockdown was imposed in Amaravati in Maharashtra. Schools and colleges in Pune will continue to be closed.