Lanka Dinakar accuses Jagan Mohan Reddy govt of misleading Andhra people on COVID-19 testing figures

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 4 : BJP leader Lanka Dinakar on Monday accused the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in Andhra Pradesh for misleading people on the number of COVID-19 tests held in the state.
In an official statement, Dinakar said, "Surveillance is also very much important to minimise the risk and it can be used to ascertain the most possible prospective adverse cases, whereas Andhra Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is misleading people by saying that highest COVID-19 tests have been held in the state."
"But, the facts are that actual RT-PCR throat/nasal swab tests are done in very low number by some state governments including Andhra Pradesh," he added.
"The state government is conducting rapid antibody tests only, ICMR has clearly said these kinds of tests are only for surveillance purposes and these tests are not conclusive that whether a person is coronavirus infected or not. Hence, the state government figures of testing with testing kits are not conclusive, since ICMR has been authorised that the conclusive outcome of COVID-19 cases should be based on the testing reports from ICMR authorised labs only, and not from imported testing kits," the BJP leader stated.
Dinakar said that social distancing norms have been flouted with the opening of liquor shops, "leading to an adverse impact on public health."
"From now onwards, liquor shops are allowed to be opened in all zones -- green, orange and red zones in Andhra Pradesh without maintaining physical distance, most particularly in Seethamma Dara area of Visakhapatnam. It leads to more adverse impact on the health of the general public," he further said.