AGARTALA, July 7 - Alarmed at the sudden spike in novel coronavirus cases in Tripura, the State Cabinet today decided to conduct antigen tests on all flight passengers and other people coming from outside the State.
The decision follows confirmation of 112 COVID-19 positive cases last night. Most of these cases have travel history.
�After an elaborate discussion, the Cabinet today decided to conduct antigen tests for all the flight passengers and the people coming from outside the State at the MBB Airport and the Churaibari Check Gate. Only COVID-19 negative people will be allowed to go for home quarantine, while positive cases will be sent to COVID Care Centres,� said Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath.
Briefing media persons, Nath said that air passengers and others who will return through the Churaibari Check Gate, need to wait for one hour after collection of swabs for tests. �The entire test and result procedure requires only one hour. We have already procured 15,000 antigen detection kits from the Centre and 25,000 more will be coming soon,� he said.
COVID-19 tests will be carried out through the antigen detection kits among people living in the containment zones too. Similarly, medical personnel will also undergo the antigen tests.
�After conducting the antigen tests on the selected persons, the Government will examine the COVID-19 situation again. If there is deterioration, random tests will be carried out throughout the State, Nath said.
As of today, Tripura has 430 active cases among a total of 1,692 positive cases. There are 1,248 recoveries.
According to Nath, the overall COVID-19 scene in Tripura is not alarming despite the rise in cases since June. Key factors like positivity rate (2.28 per cent), recovery rate (73 per cent), fatality rate (0.6 per cent) and per million tests (18,562) are satisfactory, but the Government is keeping the utmost attention.
