Anyone with fever, headache, sore throat, breathlessness, body ache, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, and diarrhea should be considered as a suspect case of Covid, and must be tested, the centre told states on Friday amid a scare over a third wave and an uptick in cases, believed to be driven by the Omicron variant.
The new variant, which has brought back worldwide curbs, is said to be "highly infectious" - a majority of cases, however, have been reported to be mild.
All those with symptoms should "immediately isolate themselves and follow home isolation guidelines," the central government has said.
A jump in daily infections in the country - especially in big cities - has sparked fresh worry, months after the healthcare system buckled under the pressure of the second Covid wave.
India has logged over 1,200 Omicron cases so far - a large number of these have been reported from Maharashtra and Delhi.
The country on Friday recorded 16,764 cases - the highest daily surge in several weeks.
In its statement, the government has also insisted on ramping up testing. "The estimated national daily molecular testing capacity is more than 20 lakh per day," the government said.
If RT-PCR tests delay results, states should go for Rapid Antigen Tests or RATs and more booths should be set up. "Multiple RAT booths must be set up in identified geographies and operationalised on a 24X7 basis to offer widespread testing and easier access to all citizens," the government said.
"Use of self-tests and home tests may be encouraged for symptomatic individuals. Seven such home testing kits have been approved so far," the statement further read.
Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, and Kolkata are among the cities that have witnessed a surge in cases.
The government on Thursday, however, insisted that there's no need to panic and the country is prepared to tackle the surge.
