The Arunachal Pradesh government on Friday decided to launch an extensive serosurvey in Itanagar for the primary and secondary contacts of COVID-19 cases including vulnerable groups, a health department official said.

The department will perform rapid tests using antigen and ELISA kits after the ongoing lockdown till July 20 next is lifted.

Rapid response teams have already been constituted for the purpose, health secretary P Parthiban told reporters in a virtual press conference in Itanagar.

He said, “Our basic aim is to identify the primary and secondary contacts of the infected persons and to flatten the curve of the virus so that the pandemic can be contained.”

The rapid antigen tests began last week in the capital complex after it witnessed a spurt in COVID-19 cases, he said adding the health authorities have so far conducted 968 antigen and 1867 ELISA tests in the area.

“The need of the hour is to break the chain of transmission,” the health secretary said.

The Capital Complex comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa, has so far registered 205 cases, the highest in the state, followed by Changlang (33), Namsai (30), West Kameng (15), East Siang and Lower Subansiri (12 each).