Chandigarh, Nov 2 (IANS): Despite declining coronavirus cases in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday ordered that contact tracing of positive patients be extended to 15 persons.

The Chief Minister also ordered another sero survey in Punjab to assess the ground situation.

The state also made it mandatory for hospitals and radiology labs conducting CT scans to report such patients to the government authorities in case of suspected coronavirus cases.

In order to streamline and prioritise Covid-19 vaccination process, the Chief Minister ordered a state-level three-tier supervision mechanism, comprising a steering committee and state and district task forces to be put in place.

In sharp contrast to some other states depending on less-reliable rapid antigen detection tests (RADT), Amarinder Singh also directed the Health Department to make RT-PCR the rule and RADT as an exception.

Amarinder Singh directed for 24x7 testing facility at district hospitals, RT-PCR tests on all fever cases and other symptomatic cases coming to health facilities.

He stressed the need to make arrangements for walk-in testing at multiple points, and asked the Health Department to consider scaling up local initiatives like Mohali's out-door testing.

The Chief Minister asked the Health Department to get information from private and public hospitals regarding Covid mortality and complete the audit by November 9 so that remedial action could be taken by mid-November.

Medical Education Secretary DK Tiwari said that 95 coronavirus patients were admitted in three medical colleges in Punjab, with no death reported there in the past one week.