Gurugram: Health Department to start random COVID testing

Gurugram: As the number of Covid-19 cases is increasing daily in Gurugram, the Health Department will soon begin random testing across the district, officials said on Wednesday.

Recently, an upscale condominium in Sector-67 at Gurugram was declared a containment zone after 22 cases of Covid-19 infections were detected there.

Gurugram has reported more than 35 cases a day during the last 10 days with more than 3,000 tests conducted in a day, the officials added.

As per health officials, random sampling would be conducted in societies, containment zones and several other locations in Gurugram.

Earlier in Gurugram, random sampling of commuters for Covid-19 was done by the health department at Kherki Daula toll, Sadar Bazar, malls, bus stands and government offices, officials said.

"As a precautionary measure, we have decided to conduct random sampling in the district. In the last few days more than 35 Covid-19 cases were detected in Gurugram. It may be possible that this figure could increase in the future so we have decided to increase Covid-19 testing soon," said Virender Yadav, Gurugram Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

The health department teams are ready to start random checking for Covid-19 infections, Yadav added.

"We have coordinated with the Police department to issue challans (fines) to those who are not following Covid-19 protocols. People must understand the seriousness of the virus despite the vaccination," he said.

"The second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive has begun in more than 20 private and government hospitals from Monday in Gurugram as elderly people received their first jabs of the vaccine."

Yadav said from March 8, the vaccination centres would be increased in Gurugram.