Covid: TN & Delhi ramp up testing; Rajasthan, Bengal still in slow lane

NEW DELHI: Some states have significantly increased coronavirus tests, with Tamil Nadu having conducted 4 lakh tests, the highest, in just 14 days, between June 19 and July 2. In absolute terms, Andhra Pradesh takes second spot, testing more than 3 lakh samples, while Maharashtra and UP did 2.85 lakh and 2.5 lakh tests respectively.


In percentage terms, Delhi has scaled up its battle against the virus with a 199% increase in testing — from 79,600 tests conducted during June 5-18 to 2.38 lakh between June 19-July 2. Covid testing in TN has increased by 70%, Andhra Pradesh 60%, Karnataka and Assam 50% each, and 46% each recorded in Maharashtra and UP.

The lowest percentage-wise increase in testing Covid samples has been recorded by Rajasthan and West Bengal at 7% each for tests conducted during the two fortnights compared in the TOI study.

The jump in testing numbers, and its positive effect in identifying confirmed cases, have been possible largely by adding up new testing centres which have gone up from one in Pune in the beginning to more than 1,100 countrywide at present. The top ten states that have been testing the highest samples —more than a lakh every fortnight — are Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, UP, Delhi, Rajasthan, Assam, Karnataka, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.

The highest positivity rates, or confirmed cases per 100 tests, have also been recorded by some of these states. Though Telangana has emerged as the top state with highest positivity rate of 25% in the last fortnight, Maharashtra with 22% and Delhi with 16% are among other highly-affected states.

Delhi during the June 5-18 period had climbed to a positivity rate of 30%. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana and West Bengal are the other states with high positivity rates. Across India, the testing figures have increased substantially with more than 2 lakh tests now being conducted daily over the last 14 days. So far, more than one crore samples have already been tested across the country.

With more than 7.5 lakh confirmed cases, India is at No. 3 in the world, just behind US and Brazil, in total number of coronavirus cases.

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