Telangana far behind Andhra in number of COVID-19 tests done: Data

Hyderabad: Data released by the Andhra Pradesh government has shown that Andhra Pradesh tops the list in the number of COVID-19 tests conducted per million people, across the country.

The data further revealed that Telangana lagged behind Andhra Pradesh in the number of tests conducted. While Andhra Pradesh conducted 830 tests per million people, Telangana has done 375 tests per million people, as of April 21.

While Andhra Pradesh has conducted over 41,000 COVID-19 tests, the highest in the country, with 813 positive cases reported, as of April 21. Telangana which had around 928 cases has done only 13,200 tests. Interestingly, among the south-Indian states, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of COVID-19 patients. However, tests conducted in the State per million population is less than Andhra’s numbers. Tamil Nadu has conducted 781 tested per million population against Andhra’s 830 tests.

According to this data, the national average is 334 tests per million people. Out of this, seven states have conducted tests less than the national average. These include states like Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, and West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the Telangana government has decided not to test asymptomatic secondary contacts of COVID-19 patients in the State. In its notice to the district collectors released on April 22, the government said, “Asymptomatic secondary contacts shall be identified, stamped and placed in strict home quarantine for a period of 28 days. They will be monitored daily by the local area multidisciplinary surveillance teams.”

The notice further said only the primary contacts of the positive cases shall be brought to the government identified quarantine centres and tested for COVID-19. “Instances have come to the notice wherein secondary contacts of certain Covid-19 positive cases have been quarantined in government facilities and tested for COVID-19. Only the primary contacts of the positive cases shall be brought to the government identified quarantine centres and their samples taken for testing,” the statement said.