COVID-19: ICMR asks States, UTs to enhance antigen-testing and diagnosis

With the rising cases of deadly coronavirus infection, ICMR has directed all State and Union Territories to enhance antigen-testing and diagnosis. It also stated that authorities should identify and approve all government and private facilities who would be providing Covid-19 diagnosis.

New Delhi: Being aware of the fact that India is registering almost 35,000 cases on every alternate day, nation's apex medical research institute Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has asked States and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure that testings are further enhanced and reporting of the same is done seamlessly.

ICMR has also asked the authorities to identify and approve all government and private facilities who would be providing Covid-19 diagnosis through antigen-based assays.

In a letter provided to the Chief Secretaries of States and UTs, ICMR director-general Dr Balram Bhargava on Thursday said that the state should ensure that all the antigen testing points are appropriately linked with RT-PCR facility, where symptomatic negative will be tested.

In a further effort to facilitate and liberalise testing, ICMR has generated five common login credentials for each district of States and UTs.

Read:|ICMR admits red tapism in government functioning

"The states and UTs may nominate a nodal person who could contact the ICMR team for obtaining login credentials," Dr Bhargava wrote in the letter.

Attached algorithm for interpreting the antigen test should be followed wherein all positives can be labelled as true positives and symptomatic negatives should be subjected to RT-PCR, said Dr Bhargava.

Reiterating that key strategy to save lives and protect livelihoods remains 'tests, track and treat', Dr Bhargava said, "our continuous endeavour is to increase testing capacity and provide more and more access to the people for testing... an antigen test is a promising tool for quick diagnosis of Covid-19."

Antigen tests have been advised in containment zones and hospitals for quick detection of corona patients.

"It is also necessary that all such testing data are uploaded on the ICMR database and all positive cases are brought to the attention of district and municipal authorities for isolation, quarantine and treatment," Dr Bhargava said.

He suggested that all government hospitals, labs as well as private NABH, NABL hospitals may initiate antigen testing.

As on Friday, India registered a total of 10,03,832 COVID-19 positive cases with 3,42,473 active and 6,35,756 cured patients. As many as 25,602 people have also died due to Covid19.

A total of 34,956 corona positive cases have been reported from across India in last 24 hours with 687 deaths.

Read:|Record number of samples tested for COVID-19 today: ICMR officials