Maharashtra has always accounted for the majority of India’s COVID-19 cases and now also, it is contributing above 50 per cent of the new cases in the country, which is being feared as a second wave of coronavirus infection.

However, the state continues to be anidler in COVID testing, with its performance being much below the national average — which experts say is the main reason behind the high number of new cases.

The average per million testing for Covid in India is 1,62,697, which means the country is on an average conducting 1.62 lakh tests for every 10-lakh population. For Maharashtra, the testing figure is at 1,33,313.

The testing numbers are sub-pareven though Maharashtra has doubled its daily number of testing in the last two weeks. 

Subhash Salunkhe, technical advisor, pandemic control to the Maharashtra government, said that there is scope to increase the testing and it is the only way to control the upsurge in COVID-19 cases. They should reach the numbers which they were doing in September-October when the testing strength was at its highest, almost 1 lakh per day. Many districts are still lacking and should increase their testing numbers.

Maharashtra is recording over 8,000 COVID-positive cases daily for the past few days. On Monday, India recorded more than 15,000 fresh cases.

Source: The Print