New Delhi (NVI): India crossed a new peak of conducting more than four crore COVID-19 tests today, Union Health Ministry said.
“With focussed, consistent and coordinated efforts led by the Centre and implemented by the state/ UT governments, India has set a new landmark of testing 4,04,06,609 people,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
The number of single day tests have also seen an upsurge as 9,28,761 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, it added.
However, this has boosted the Tests Per Million (TPM) with a sharp increase to 29,280. As is seen in many states and union territories that have increased the testing, the positivity rate will eventually fall with higher levels of testing, the ministry said.
“The national positivity rate has remained low i.e. 8.57 and is constantly falling,” it added.
Meanwhile, India has come a long way from conducting the first COVID-19 test in January in a laboratory in Pune to crossing the milestone of conducting four crore such tests
The country is fallowing the strategic approach of “TEST, TRACK, TREAT” where testing forms the initial and crucial pillar of COVID response and management.
It is only by aggressive testing that positive cases are identified at an early stage, their close contacts can be promptly tracked and isolated, and timely and effective treatment can be ensured for those in home isolation and the ones hospitalised, the ministry underlined.
The ministry further stated, expanding the network of diagnostic laboratories and facilitation for easy testing across the country through several policy measures have given a substantial boost to this upsurge in national testing rates.
Currently, there are as many as 1,576 labs in the country; 1,002 labs in the government sector and 574 private labs, where COVID-19 tests are to be performed, it added.
-RJV
