PAV urges govt. to strengthen disease surveillance as COVID cases rise

Elderly devotees, in masks, wait in the queue for darshan of Lord Jagannath in the ‘Sesha panpu’ alankaram at Turner’s Choultry in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. | Photo Credit: V. Raju As the COVID tally in Andhra Pradesh touched 49 by July 25, Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV) has appealed to the Andhra Pradesh government to adopt a precautionary and science-based approach in dealing with the situation.Pointing out that it is not an alarming situation, PAV, however, said that the lessons learnt during the previous COVID-19 waves demonstrate that early preparedness is far more effective than delayed response.PAV said the present official case count may not fully reflect the actual extent of community transmission, as widespread screening and testing are no longer being carried out.Many mild or asymptomatic infections may therefore remain undetected until patients require hospital care. In this context, the organisation has urged the government to strengthen disease surveillance and public health preparedness without creating unnecessary public anxiety.In a representation submitted to Minister for Health, Medical and Family Welfare Satya Kumar Yadav, the organisation recommended strengthening risk based surveillance by monitoring Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases across government and private healthcare facilities, conducting targeted testing among symptomatic individuals, vulnerable populations and healthcare workers, reviewing the preparedness of government hospitals, and strengthening coordination among district health authorities for early detection and rapid response to any emerging clusters. Published - July 26, 2026 12:40 pm IST