All migrants need to undergo tests within seven days after reaching home, the government said today, announcing the revised testing strategy for coronavirus. The revised guidelines, announced by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - the nodal body in the fight against the contagion, also calls for immediate medical attention to people who are awaiting test results.
The ICMR in its revised strategy also added that all hospitalised patients who develop symptoms for influenza-like illness (ILI) and frontline workers involved in containment and mitigation of COVID-19 having such signs will also be tested for coronavirus infection through RT-PCR test.
Besides, asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case are to be tested once between day five and day 10 of coming in contact, the new document stated. Asymptomatic contacts of a confirmed case were being tested once between day five and day 14.
Till now, people with ILI symptoms living within hotspots or containment zones, patients of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and symptomatic healthcare workers were being tested for coronavirus infection as per the guidelines.
All asymptomatic individuals with a history of international travel in the last 14 days and all symptomatic contacts of laboratory-confirmed case were also being tested. "No emergency procedure (including deliveries) should be delayed for lack of test," the ICMR said, adding all testing in the categories is recommended by real time RT-PCR test only.
India today recorded the biggest single-day jump of 5,242 new coronavirus cases, with the total cases hitting 96,169, including 3,029 deaths.
The jump comes as the government released a number of restrictions as the country enters the fourth phase of the countrywide lockdown, which will continue till May 31.
Of the total cases in the country, Maharashtra accounts for the highest number of cases, followed by Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi. The coronavirus cases in the state crossed the 33,000-mark as it reported 2,347 new cases in a single day.
With inputs from PTI
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