Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday claimed it topped the country in conducting the most number of coronavirus tests per million population, clocking 830. In all, 41,512 people were tested across the state so far, the Medical and Health Department said in a release.
Of the total tests, 40,699 have turned negative so far, it said. On Tuesday alone, 5,757 tests were conducted, including 3,082 using TruNat machines that were actually used for tuberculosis testing.
No other state was conducting coronavirus tests on this scale, the release claimed.
"The number of tests per million thus reached 830. With 809, Rajasthan stood second behind AP in this regard," it said.
Andhra's test numbers were, however, not uploaded on the ICMR website although the government has been constantly sending the data, the release added.
Official sources said they were unable to upload the state data on the website as we were not given the logins.
The Andhra Pradesh government had on April 17 imported one lakh Rapid Test Kits (RTKs) from South Korea to step up COVID-19 testing in the state. These were the first bath of the one million RTKs ordered by the state government.
With the use of RTKs, the result can be obtained in just 10 minutes on whether or not a person carried the virus.
Reddy directed officials to ensure adequate number of oxygen cylinders and to ensure proper tests for the 7,578 patients in quarantine and to increase the number of ICU beds in hospitals in Anantapur, Prakasam and Nellore districts. He said that hospitals should be identified in the towns where there is intensity of the cases to treat the patients locally.
Reddy said relaxation should be applicable to only green clusters and regulations strictly followed in red and orange clusters and to see that physical distance was maintained at all places.
Reddy asked officials to constantly monitor the prices of essentials in the market and take action against those resorting to hoarding.
(With inputs from PTI)
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