COVID-19 test now must for all with cough, fever, runny nose in hotspots, migrant centres

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 9

Anyone suffering from fever, cough, sore throat or runny nose in COVID-19 hotspots will now have to be tested for the disease within seven days of the onset of illness.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday revised the testing strategy for COVID-19 disease clusters where it had earlier recommended antibody (blood-based) tests for anyone reporting influenza like illness (ILI) symptoms.

Revising the old guidance today, ICMR mandated nose/throat swab based current Covid test for all symptomatic people in hotspots or migrant centres.

“All symptomatic ILI (fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose) will be tested with RT-PCR (swab test) within seven days of illness. After seven days of illness, these same people will be administered the antibody test. If the test is negative, it must be confirmed by RT-PCR,” ICMR said.

Besides the above hotspot category that also covers large migration gathering centres, the following sets of people are to undergo Covid testing in India as per current ICMR guidance — all symptomatic individuals who have undertaken international travel in the last 14 days; all symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases; all symptomatic healthcare workers; all patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (fever and cough and/or shortness of breath); asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case have to be tested once between day 5 and day 14 of coming in his/her contact.