With the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state, the Tripura government on April 19 notified a five-fold strategy to prevent the spread of the disease resorting to testing, tracking, treating, vaccinations and adherence of COVID appropriate behaviour.
Tripura has reported as many as 10 positive cases of COVID-19 in the last two days who had come to hospitals voluntarily with the complaint of influenza-like symptoms.
All of them were sent to home quarantine as none of them had complaints related to respiratory problems or another critical disease.
The government notification advised people to strictly follow the wearing mask, maintaining hygiene and physical distancing.
Health professionals have been asked to wear masks while working in the hospitals, patient and their attendants have also been advised to follow the same.
The health surveillance team was asked to monitor the trends of Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI), Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in all the health facilities on a regular basis and ensure its reporting to the national portal.
“Ensuring an adequate level of testing mainly the people found complaints of ARI/ILI/SARI, new clusters, contacts of positive cases in the districts while maintaining the recommended proportion of RTPCR and RAT Tests and undertaking required steps in areas reporting high case positivity.”
The advisory also added that travellers from states where COVID cases are higher in numbers like Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu will have to undergo COVID testing mainly in MBB Airport, Railway Stations and Churaibari inter-state check post.
Testing in all the public places like government offices, schools, colleges, and marketplaces was also advised.
“In order to limit the transmission of COVID-19 and treatment to the affected people, it has been decided to send adequate number of positive samples for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to Agartala Govt Medical College besides, strengthening of health facilities in terms of availability of required drugs and logistics for COVID management,” the notification reads.
