VIJAYAWADA: As part of a Centre’s initiative, Krishna administration is gearing up to conduct random sample testing among high and low risk groups in the wake of Covid-19.
The move was initiated in compliance with the recent guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry to hold a household survey simultaneously in 69 districts across 21 states.
As per the guidelines, workers will collect 200 blood samples per day from red zones and containment clusters in the district.
As many as 100 samples of labourers, and health and sanitation workers, and 50 samples each of pregnant women and out-patients will be collected.
Official sources said the health workers will focus on carrying out random testing at eight red zones and 20 clusters in Vijayawada.
The samples will be initially collected from Krishna Lanka and Karmika Nagar, which are densely populated localities and from where most number of positive cases were reported in the district.
People will be tested on the basis of a priority list prepared by the health officials and focus will be laid on examining primary contacts of the confirmed cases. In the second phase, the health workers will collect samples from the remaining six red zone areas, the officials added.
Speaking to TNIE on Wednesday, Collector A Md Imtiaz said as many as 20,073 persons samples from 41 clusters have been tested till now. Of the total, 349 tested positive for the virus, and the district has 133 active cases presently after 202 patients were discharged from Covid hospitals.
“We have received a communication from the Indian Council of Medical Research on Tuesday night that said Krishna is one of the three districts in the state selected for random sample testing. An action plan will be drafted by the health officials and the procedure will then begin in a couple of days.”