Government Expands Testing Criteria For Covid-19, Includes All Pneumonia Cases Regardless Of Travel, Contact History

Escalating the nation's fight to contain the spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government has changed the testing criteria to now also include all cases of pneumonia, regardless of travel or contact history, reports Indian Express.

The latest advisory was issued to hospitals across India yesterday (20 March), asking them to notify all cases of pneumonia to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) or Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) for them to be tested for COVID-19.

Prior to the advisory, testing was being carried out on symptomatic patients with travel or contact history, and on symptomatic healthcare workers with any kind of contact history.

The change in the testing criteria is also expected to provide conclusive evidence of whether community transmission of the virus has happened so far in India or not

It should be noted that the change in the testing criteria has been notified on a day when the nation witnessed the highest single-day surge in the total confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the total tally reaching 258.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that so far, four individuals have died in India of the pandemic, while 22 others have recovered successfully.