Target should be to increase daily Covid-19 testing capacity to 25,000: UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday expressed satisfaction over the daily Covid-19 testing capacity in the state reaching the 20,000 mark, and said the target should now be to increase it to 25,000 each day, an official said.

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At a meeting with senior officials, the chief minister stressed on encouraging industrial, commercial and business establishments to set up Covid-19 helpdesks to keep people safe from the virus, Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi said.

Adityanath said it must be ensured that social distancing is followed wherever five or more people are working, while continuous monitoring regarding precautions from the infection is carried out in industrial units.

Directing officials to give special attention to the state's western districts, especially the Meerut division, the chief minister stressed on giving momentum to surveillance works and awareness drive.

He also directed medical, revenue and police departments to make preparations for a special programme in Meerut division from July 1 to 7, under which door-to-door medical screening would be undertaken.

Rapid antigen test should be started in Meerut, Ghaziabad and Noida so that coronavirus cases can be promptly detected, Adityanath said, adding the effort should be to provide treatment at the earliest.

The chief minister also emphasised on proper publicity through television, radio, newspaper, public-address system, posters and banners on precautions, symptoms and treatment of infection.

He said that in Meerut division, the capacity of Covid-19 hospitals and screening in mandis, government, private and other establishments must be increased.

So far, 1,658 trains have brought migrant workers to the state and two trains, one each from Karnataka and Tripura, are arriving on Saturday. As many as 82 trains have taken 1,42,767 brick-kiln workers to other states, Awasthi said.