People who have shown suspected symptoms of COVID-19 during house-to-house screenings should be tested using the rapid-antigen method, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday.
He also asked doctors to study the case history of patients who have recovered from COVID-19.
"This will help in developing an effective method of treatment," Yogi Adityanath said during a meeting with officials at his official residence.
The chief minister also directed them to increase testing in the state through the rapid-antigen method.
"People who are found to be having suspected symptoms of COVID-19 during house-to-house medical screenings should be subjected to rapid-antigen testing. Once the infection is confirmed, they will be admitted to COVID hospitals," he said.
Additional Chief Secretary Medical and Health Amit Mohan Prasad said that such people are being tested using both the rapid-antigen or the RT-PCR methods.
Yogi Adityanath also issued orders to increase the number of ambulances in each district of Uttar Pradesh, according to a statement issued by the state government.
"Integrated Command and Control Centres should be established in every district, and through this, monitoring of operation of ambulances, medical screening, survey work and various other activities pertaining to prevention of COVID-19, will be done," he said.
Yogi Adityanath also directed officials to ensure contact tracing is done in an organised manner.
"Till now no effective medicine or vaccine has been developed, hence to prevent the infection from spreading, it is necessary to exercise caution and stay alert. People should be told that they should not leave their houses until it becomes very much necessary. If one person is moving out, then he or she should wear a mask and adhere to social distancing," he said.
He also said that the two-day special cleanliness and sanitisation campaign should be effectively implemented in the state on Saturday and Sunday.
The chief minister said that spraying of anti-larva chemicals and fogging should be done during the drive to prevent vector-borne diseases. Testing of purity of drinking water and cleaning of water tanks should be accorded special care, Yogi Adityanath said.
He also directed the officials to put an end to water-logging and asked the departments of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Urban Development, Health and Medical Education to work in tandem to check the COVID-19 and vector-borne diseases.
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