Kochi: Among larger countries, only TPR Kerala is more than 10%.
For others the same below 5%, except for some northeastern states.
TPR in Kerala remains high even though there are efforts of several local bodies, with high TPRs, to test the general population in place and family where there is no positive case even because there is no pressure on testing contacts of infected people or vulnerable populations.
TPR on average 7 days Kerala (on July 6) was 10.2% while the national average reached 2.4%.
In Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, an average of 7 days is 1.8% and 2.5%.
This is a real concern, because neighboring countries can drastically reduce their TPR.
A month ago, on June 6, the TPR averaged 7 Days India was 6.2%, while Kerala was 14.8%.
Karnataka then has a TPR on average 7 days 11.1% and TN14%.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that to ensure adequacy of testing, positive testing should not exceed 10% and must remain less than 5%.
In August 2020, when the TPR Kerala was 3.3%, the technical report on testing from the Ministry of Health supported this and said, “The level of progress rises when the epidemic grows and tests the delay.
So it captes the size of the epidemic and testing scale in one number.
“” High TPR shows that the level of high infection in the state and even now there are some people who have Covid.
There are reports that in some places there are intentional efforts to reduce TPR, but even so, TPR remains high and this is the main problem, ” said Public Health experts from SS Lal, who have worked with WHO.
“TPR can be manipulated easily depending on who you are testing.
As a pressure from the community to raise limiting limiting increases, the chance is likely to be high TPR manipulation.
But, this can be dangerous because it will create a sense of security wrong among people,” said rematernal expert and Immunology Dr.
Shenoy Padmanabha, who has analyzed the covid pattern throughout India.
Public health experts warn that unless Kerala brings strict steps at the grassroots level and not just locking, the Covid case will not reduce and spread infection will be fast.
Last week, Kerala saw a slight increase in a 4% case.
Between June 27 and July 3, Kerala averages reported 11,942 cases / day.
Since then there has been a surge up, with Kerala reported 15,600 cases on Wednesday and 14,373 cases on Tuesday.
TPR remains above 10% even though testing is increasing.
Whereas on Wednesday, TPR was 10.36% after 1,50,630 tests carried out, on Tuesday it was 10.9% after 1.31,820 tests were carried out.
“What happens now is that people with small symptoms or positive family members are not tested and implied that they may be positive.
Even the authorities do not insist on testing them to reduce TPR.
But these people often violate quarantine norms and maybe Perhaps distributing infections.
Random community testing is a measure of good supervision, but to control the spread of infection, what is needed now is the search for contacts and testing, “said Dr.
Jayakrishnan AV, Chair of the IMA Committee on Covid vaccine and vaccination strategy.