<p>Even as India's coronavirus tally crosses the 150-mark, the Union Health Ministry and World Health Organisation differ on the testing strategy with the former stressing on more aggressive testing whereas the latter claims it's not the time for universal screening as that can set off a panic reaction.</p>.<p>“More clusters of virus transmission are being confirmed. While this is an indication of alert and effective surveillance, it also puts the spotlight on the need for more aggressive and whole of society efforts to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We clearly need to do more, and urgently,” Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, WHO South-East Asia Region, said in a media statement. India is part of the WHO South-East Asia region.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-updates-two-more-test-positive-in-karnataka-indias-tally-stands-at-151-799686.html"><strong>For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here</strong></a></p>.<p>Singh's statement comes a day after the UN health agency Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underscored the importance of testing every single case.</p>.<p>He said the WHO's only message to the countries is “Test, test and test. You can't fight a fire blindfolded. We can't stop this pandemic if we don’t know who is infected.”</p>.<p>Simply following the personal behaviour guidelines such as social distancing, regular hand washing and covering the mouth while coughing was not enough to extinguish the pandemic, he said.</p>.<p>The call for aggressive testing has been contested by Indian officials arguing that the pandemic is still in the Stage-2 in the world's second-most populous country with no evidence yet of any community transmission.</p>.<p>“From India's point of view, the WHO DG's statement is premature since community transmission is not occurring here. We have told the WHO India Office that it was not a statement that should have been given for a country like India because India is still not in a community transmission stage,” Balram Bhargava, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research said in a press conference on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Sources said ICMR officials had a meeting with the members of WHO India following which the WHO India Representative Henk Bekedam praised Indian response to the pandemic.</p>.<p>The strategy of universal testing, Bhargava argued, could create more “fear, panic reaction and hype” in India even though such a strategy was necessary for countries like the UK and Italy.</p>.<p>Both Bhargava and National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai director Manoj Murhekar asserted that there was no evidence of Covid-19 going into the community transmission mode. The assertion is based on the results of an ongoing ICMR sentinel survey.</p>.<p>“The testing strategy should be country-specific. Currently, the Indian strategy is appropriate. As soon as we get an evidence that the disease has reached the community, we will change our strategy and escalate our testing screening everyone with symptoms,” Murhekar said.</p>
<p>Even as India's coronavirus tally crosses the 150-mark, the Union Health Ministry and World Health Organisation differ on the testing strategy with the former stressing on more aggressive testing whereas the latter claims it's not the time for universal screening as that can set off a panic reaction.</p>.<p>“More clusters of virus transmission are being confirmed. While this is an indication of alert and effective surveillance, it also puts the spotlight on the need for more aggressive and whole of society efforts to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We clearly need to do more, and urgently,” Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, WHO South-East Asia Region, said in a media statement. India is part of the WHO South-East Asia region.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-updates-two-more-test-positive-in-karnataka-indias-tally-stands-at-151-799686.html"><strong>For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here</strong></a></p>.<p>Singh's statement comes a day after the UN health agency Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underscored the importance of testing every single case.</p>.<p>He said the WHO's only message to the countries is “Test, test and test. You can't fight a fire blindfolded. We can't stop this pandemic if we don’t know who is infected.”</p>.<p>Simply following the personal behaviour guidelines such as social distancing, regular hand washing and covering the mouth while coughing was not enough to extinguish the pandemic, he said.</p>.<p>The call for aggressive testing has been contested by Indian officials arguing that the pandemic is still in the Stage-2 in the world's second-most populous country with no evidence yet of any community transmission.</p>.<p>“From India's point of view, the WHO DG's statement is premature since community transmission is not occurring here. We have told the WHO India Office that it was not a statement that should have been given for a country like India because India is still not in a community transmission stage,” Balram Bhargava, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research said in a press conference on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Sources said ICMR officials had a meeting with the members of WHO India following which the WHO India Representative Henk Bekedam praised Indian response to the pandemic.</p>.<p>The strategy of universal testing, Bhargava argued, could create more “fear, panic reaction and hype” in India even though such a strategy was necessary for countries like the UK and Italy.</p>.<p>Both Bhargava and National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai director Manoj Murhekar asserted that there was no evidence of Covid-19 going into the community transmission mode. The assertion is based on the results of an ongoing ICMR sentinel survey.</p>.<p>“The testing strategy should be country-specific. Currently, the Indian strategy is appropriate. As soon as we get an evidence that the disease has reached the community, we will change our strategy and escalate our testing screening everyone with symptoms,” Murhekar said.</p>
