India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed five states, where the positivity rate is higher than the national average, to ramp up testing, officials said.
The five states under lens are Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Four of these states account for more than half (53.5 per cent) of the number of active cases present in the country currently.

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that despite testing in high numbers, these states are not able to reduce the positivity rate.

"If the positivity rate remains high despite a large number of tests, then the states need to ramp up testing further. We have conveyed this to the administration of Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," Bhushan informed.

"The number of tests conducted has to be seen in tandem with the rate of positivity reported, because the numbers on their own do not give any significant input to us," he added.

Besides, the ministry also advised the states having a positivity rate below the national average to maintain the momentum of their testing.

(IANS)