COVID-19 surge: Maharashtra government asks officials to ramp up testing

A health worker collects swab samples during a door-to-door screening for COVID-19 at Dharavi, one of Asia`s largest slums. Pic/Shadab Khan

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday instructed all district collectors and municipal commissioners to increase testing, a senior minister said after a cabinet meeting here.

The COVID-19 situation in the state was reviewed during the meeting, said Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik.

"An instruction was given to increase the number of tests," he told reporters.

On average, over 60,000 coronavirus tests are being conducted in the state over the last two weeks.

Officials were also asked to carry out contact tracing of coronavirus patients more vigorously, Malik further said.

The cabinet also discussed other measures for the prevention of the spread of the virus and the ongoing vaccination drive, sources said.

Maharashtra has witnessed an upward trend in COVID- 19 cases since February 10, with daily figures crossing 6,000.

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