India changes guidelines on coronavirus testing

India has revised its Covid-19 strategy. As new guidelines by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) state all pneumonia patients can be tested for novel coronavirus, hospitals across the country have taken to testing all patients admitted with severe respiratory illnesses.

The ICMR is the country’s apex biomedical research body. Its initial strategy of testing those with a travel history and showing symptoms, and those who have come in contact with persons having a travel history, is to continue. Since March 9, the ICMR has revised its guidelines thrice for Covid-19 testing criteria.

The new guidelines state asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once between Day 5 and Day 14 of coming in to the contact of infected person.