The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to ensure a random RT-PCR screening of passengers from each incoming flight.
The Centre also said all positive specimens should be sent for genomic sequencing.
Following the directions, an advisory to states and UTs was issued by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.
The strategy was issued with the long-term vision to fully integrate COVID-19 surveillance within the existing Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) mechanism.
“Surveillance of Incoming International Travelers which will include a random screening of 2 per cent of passengers in each incoming flight into India by RT-PCR”.
All positive specimens should be sent for genome sequencing and that such passengers should be advised isolation and clinically managers as per prevailing guidelines.
All healthcare facilities should report Influenza Like Illness (ILI) cases, and mentioned that the District Surveillance Officer (DSO) will be responsible to analyse the data.
Five per cent of ILI cases shall be tested through RT-PCR.
Health facilities should ensure monitoring of Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in all district hospitals and selected tertiary hospitals and undertake their RT-PCR test for covid, he said.
The revised strategy further stressed on community-based surveillance for early detection of unusual events in the community such as large outbreaks, the unusual clinical presentation of cases, mortality, etc.
The three-pronged genomic surveillance strategy should be implemented by states and UTs.
Also, positive samples from large clusters or outbreaks in the community and unusual events should also be sent for whole-genome sequencing.
In addition, revised surveillance guidelines also call for sewage and wastewater surveillance which may provide early warnings on the potential local surge of COVID-19, the letter said.
