Covid-19: ICMR Allows Testing On Demand For All Individuals Who Wish To Get Tested; States To Decide Modalities

No emergency procedure (including deliveries) should be delayed for lack of test. However, sample can be sent for testing simultaneously, the advisory states.

Kanyakumari: Medics wearing protective suits collect swab samples for COVID-19 test of vegetable vendors, who had shops in Vadasery bus stand, during the nationwide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Kanyakumari District, Wednesday, April 22, 2020. (PTI Photo) (PTI22-04-2020_000142B)

New Delhi: Indian Council of Medical Research in its latest advisory has allowed for testing on demand for all individuals who want to get tested, asking state governments to fix modalities in this regard. The move comes as India has witnessed a significant rise in its testing rate over past few weeks. The advisory allows testing on demand for all individuals undertaking travel to countries/Indian states mandating a negative COVID19 test at point of entry, and for all individuals who wish to get themselves tested. No emergency procedure (including deliveries) should be delayed for lack of test. However, sample can be sent for testing simultaneously, the advisory states. Tracking and contact tracing mechanism should be ensured by testing laboratories by notifying the public health authorities. A single RT-PCR/TrueNAT/CBNAAT/RAT positive test is to be considered confirmatory without any repeat testing, the advisory states. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 11,69,765 samples were tested on September 3 while overall 4.66 crore samples have been tested so far. Earlier in the day health ministry said that India's total COVID-19 recoveries have crossed 30 lakh and stand at 30,37,151 and a very small proportion of the active cases, amounting to less than 0.5 per cent, are on ventilator support. As per the Ministry, a total of 2 per cent cases are in ICUs and less than 3.5 per cent of the active cases occupy oxygen-supported beds. India's Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of COVID-19 is lower than the global average and progressively declining and currently stands at 1.74 per cent,